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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. current — happening now
  4. bat — the animal
  5. degree — from a university
  6. march — music
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. vault — a safe
  9. degree — an amount
  10. hand — help
  11. hand — in cards
  12. march — the month
  13. bore — to tire
  14. current — of water
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. degree — temperature
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. current — electric
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bat — for baseball

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