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. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. fall — to drop
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. wax — to grow
  6. degree — temperature
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. rest — what's left
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. fall — the season
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. fall — to drop
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. degree — from a university
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. rest — a break
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. plane — a tool
  23. rest — what's left
  24. wax — in the ear

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