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

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. degree — from a university
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. present — the time now
  5. present — a gift
  6. cap — a hat
  7. rock — music
  8. cue — a hint
  9. degree — an amount
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. cap — of ice
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. saw — the tool
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. degree — temperature
  16. rock — a stone
  17. cue — for pool
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. cap — a lid
  22. cue — a signal
  23. present — there
  24. bat — the animal

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