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 120 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: fall · club · rash · band · court · temple · degree · foot

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. degree — temperature
  3. club — for dancing
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. club — for golf
  8. band — a music group
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. fall — to drop
  11. rash — hasty
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. fall — the season
  14. rash — a series
  15. court — of a king
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. band — a ring
  18. degree — from a university
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. fall — to drop
  21. degree — an amount
  22. club — a group
  23. court — for sport
  24. foot — a measure

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