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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. rest — what's left
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. rest — a break
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. degree — an amount
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. craft — boats
  10. craft — a skill
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. dip — to sink
  13. mug — to rob
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rest — what's left
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. kick — in football
  18. lie — to recline
  19. mug — a cup
  20. degree — from a university
  21. mug — a face
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. lie — an untruth

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