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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. degree — temperature
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. drill — a practice
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. content — happy
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. degree — from a university
  10. file — a tool
  11. file — a line of people
  12. file — a document
  13. snap — to click
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. face — to confront
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. face — part of the head
  20. content — the amount
  21. drill — army training
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. face — to point toward
  24. degree — an amount

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