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 116 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: tube · scale · face · squash · degree · ruler · hand · pit

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. face — part of the head
  3. scale — in music
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. face — to confront
  7. pit — a hole
  8. face — to point toward
  9. scale — size or range
  10. hand — in cards
  11. squash — the sport
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. degree — temperature
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. tube — the underground
  16. degree — from a university
  17. squash — to crush
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. tube — a container
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. degree — an amount
  22. hand — help
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. pit — in a race

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