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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. degree — temperature
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. firm — a company
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. object — to protest
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. object — an aim
  12. scale — in music
  13. scale — size or range
  14. degree — an amount
  15. degree — from a university
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. rush — hurry
  18. object — a thing
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. branch — a division
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — steady
  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