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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. rock — a stone
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mug — a cup
  5. hand — in cards
  6. mug — a face
  7. degree — temperature
  8. track — a song
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. rock — music
  11. degree — from a university
  12. spring — of water
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. spring — a coil
  16. hand — help
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. degree — an amount
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. mug — to rob
  22. track — to keep track
  23. track — a path
  24. spring — the season

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