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: degree · ruler · chip · ground · present · row · cap · bat

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. present — a gift
  3. chip — for betting
  4. ground — a position
  5. degree — an amount
  6. cap — a lid
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. row — a line
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. row — to paddle
  11. present — the time now
  12. cap — of ice
  13. bat — the animal
  14. ground — the earth
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. degree — from a university
  17. cap — a hat
  18. chip — to eat
  19. ground — crushed
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. present — there
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. degree — temperature

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