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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pop · object · shower · race · ruler · mine · degree · mouse

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. race — the arms race
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. degree — from a university
  6. pop — to visit
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. degree — an amount
  10. race — humankind
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. mine — for digging
  14. shower — rain
  15. object — to protest
  16. object — an aim
  17. race — a contest
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. shower — to wash
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. object — a thing
  22. pop — music
  23. degree — temperature
  24. ruler — for measuring

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