ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: craft · wave · net · pound · bay · field · hide · degree

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. field — for sport
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. field — a subject
  6. net — in sport
  7. craft — boats
  8. craft — a skill
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. degree — an amount
  13. field — farmland
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. net — for catching
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. pound — a weight
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. net — after costs
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. degree — from a university

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com