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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. degree — temperature
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rule — government
  7. degree — an amount
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. mate — a friend
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. degree — from a university
  13. kick — in football
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. stem — to come from
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mate — a partner

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