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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. bound — tied together
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. degree — temperature
  7. charge — electricity
  8. race — a contest
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. face — to point toward
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bound — certain
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. charge — in control
  15. race — humankind
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. degree — from a university
  18. face — part of the head
  19. degree — an amount
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. race — the arms race
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. face — to confront
  24. charge — a price

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