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: swing · degree · lie · plane · rule · net · mark · pit

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  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. pit — in a race
  2. swing — in golf
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. mark — a grade
  5. swing — to play on
  6. rule — government
  7. net — for catching
  8. mark — a trace
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. rule — a law
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. pit — a hole
  13. swing — music
  14. lie — to recline
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. net — in sport
  17. degree — from a university
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. degree — temperature
  21. plane — a tool
  22. net — after costs
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  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