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

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. scale — size or range
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. track — a song
  8. shower — to wash
  9. chest — of your body
  10. scale — in music
  11. track — a path
  12. rush — hurry
  13. degree — an amount
  14. degree — from a university
  15. shower — rain
  16. cue — a signal
  17. chest — a box
  18. cue — a hint
  19. chest — of your body
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. track — to keep track
  22. cue — for pool
  23. degree — temperature
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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