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. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. degree — an amount
  4. scale — size or range
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. scale — in music
  9. lie — to recline
  10. degree — temperature
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. object — an aim
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. object — to protest
  15. tear — from crying
  16. firm — decided
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. tear — to rip
  19. object — a thing
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. tear — from crying
  23. firm — steady
  24. firm — a company

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