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: wax · stick · ball · rock · shower · degree · track · rash

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. degree — from a university
  3. degree — temperature
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. ball — a dance
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. track — a path
  10. shower — to wash
  11. rash — hasty
  12. shower — rain
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. rash — a series
  15. ball — a great time
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. rock — music
  18. track — a song
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. track — to keep track
  22. wax — to grow
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. degree — an amount

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