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: track · degree · deal · file · mark · bass · ruler · land

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. degree — temperature
  3. deal — to handle
  4. track — a path
  5. file — a tool
  6. land — a country
  7. degree — an amount
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. land — to come down
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bass — low music
  17. file — a line of people
  18. degree — from a university
  19. land — ground
  20. mark — a grade
  21. track — a song
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. file — a document
  24. track — to keep track

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