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 120 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: degree · ruler · hide · bore · vault · pop · clip · root

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. degree — temperature
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bore — to drill
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. clip — for paper
  11. clip — to cut
  12. vault — a safe
  13. bore — to tire
  14. pop — to visit
  15. degree — from a university
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pop — music
  18. pop — soda
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. degree — an amount
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. root — of a word
  23. root — the cause
  24. clip — a video

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