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: ruler · cabinet · degree · toast · bowl · deal · track · nail

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. degree — an amount
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. track — a path
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. toast — bread
  13. track — a song
  14. degree — from a university
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. deal — to handle
  19. track — to keep track
  20. degree — temperature
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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