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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. chest — of your body
  3. bore — to drill
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. degree — an amount
  9. chest — of your body
  10. tube — the underground
  11. pit — a hole
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. prune — to trim
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. pit — in a race
  17. chest — a box
  18. degree — from a university
  19. snap — to click
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bore — to tire
  22. tube — a container
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. ruler — a monarch

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