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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. roll — a cake
  3. chest — of your body
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. degree — from a university
  6. spell — magic
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. chest — a box
  9. degree — an amount
  10. chest — of your body
  11. roll — a list
  12. spell — letters
  13. degree — temperature
  14. spell — a short time
  15. row — a line
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. present — the time now
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. row — to paddle
  20. present — there
  21. toast — bread
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. present — a gift
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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