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. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. perch — the fish
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. cold — an illness
  5. degree — temperature
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. craft — boats
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. degree — from a university
  12. cue — a hint
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mark — a grade
  15. cue — a signal
  16. rock — a stone
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cold — not warm
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. craft — a skill
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. rock — music

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