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: bear · lash · fine · lie · fan · root · ruler · degree

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. root — of a plant
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bear — the animal
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. root — the cause
  9. lie — to recline
  10. fine — high quality
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bear — the animal
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. degree — temperature
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. fine — all right
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. degree — from a university
  23. root — of a word
  24. ruler — for measuring

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