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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  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. board — a flat piece
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. board — a committee
  5. press — to push
  6. file — a document
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rush — hurry
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. degree — an amount
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. file — a tool
  13. board — to get on
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. press — a publisher
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. degree — from a university
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. file — a line of people
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. press — newspapers
  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