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 124 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: temple · degree · foot · tube · sharp · spell · stand · season

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. sharp — clever
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — to bear
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. season — in sport
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. spell — letters
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. degree — an amount
  15. degree — from a university
  16. spell — magic
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. degree — temperature
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. season — of the year
  21. spell — a short time
  22. tube — the underground
  23. tube — a container
  24. season — to add flavour

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