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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. bank — of a river
  3. degree — from a university
  4. degree — temperature
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. track — to keep track
  9. wound — an injury
  10. pass — a permit
  11. track — a path
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. rock — a stone
  14. track — a song
  15. wound — an injury
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. bank — for money
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bank — for money
  22. degree — an amount
  23. rock — music
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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