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: content · sharp · drill · degree · ruler · track · fine · mug

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. track — to keep track
  3. degree — an amount
  4. degree — temperature
  5. mug — a face
  6. track — a song
  7. mug — a cup
  8. drill — the tool
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. content — the amount
  12. fine — all right
  13. fine — high quality
  14. mug — to rob
  15. drill — army training
  16. content — happy
  17. track — a path
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. sharp — clever
  20. degree — from a university
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. ruler — a monarch

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