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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. snap — to click
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. cue — for pool
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. bore — to drill
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. current — happening now
  10. cue — a signal
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. bore — to tire
  13. degree — temperature
  14. degree — an amount
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. cue — a hint
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. plane — a tool
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. current — of water
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. degree — from a university

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