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: bore · degree · bank · kid · field · ruler · rush · wax

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. kid — child
  5. bore — to tire
  6. degree — temperature
  7. degree — an amount
  8. rush — hurry
  9. degree — from a university
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. kid — to tease
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. field — a subject
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bank — of a river
  17. field — for sport
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. bank — for money
  20. wax — to grow
  21. bore — to drill
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. bank — for money
  24. field — farmland

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