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: rule · degree · stick · calf · straw · bat · staff · drill

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. staff — employees
  6. drill — army training
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. rule — government
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. degree — an amount
  13. staff — employees
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. staff — a stick
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bat — the animal
  20. drill — a practice
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. degree — temperature
  23. rule — a law
  24. degree — from a university

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