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: bowl · degree · temple · fine · press · racket · court · rest

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. degree — an amount
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. degree — temperature
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. rest — a break
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. press — a publisher
  10. rest — what's left
  11. degree — from a university
  12. press — to push
  13. court — for sport
  14. court — of a king
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. fine — high quality
  19. fine — all right
  20. press — newspapers
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. rest — what's left
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. court — of law

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