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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. degree — from a university
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. degree — temperature
  7. land — ground
  8. bore — to drill
  9. squash — to crush
  10. object — to protest
  11. track — a path
  12. degree — an amount
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. land — a country
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. bulb — for light
  17. squash — the sport
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. land — to come down
  20. object — a thing
  21. track — to keep track
  22. track — a song
  23. object — an aim
  24. bore — gave birth

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