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 124 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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. degree — an amount
  3. dip — to sink
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. degree — from a university
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. fine — high quality
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. field — farmland
  13. degree — temperature
  14. field — a subject
  15. fine — all right
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. field — for sport
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. perch — the fish

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