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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. toast — bread
  4. clip — for paper
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. net — after costs
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. press — to push
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pound — a weight
  11. press — newspapers
  12. net — for catching
  13. net — in sport
  14. degree — temperature
  15. clip — to cut
  16. degree — from a university
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. fine — high quality
  20. degree — an amount
  21. press — a publisher
  22. clip — a video
  23. fine — all right
  24. toast — the most admired

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