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: hand · nail · pitch · ruler · can · row · present · degree

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. can — a tin
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. row — to paddle
  5. present — a gift
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. hand — in cards
  9. degree — an amount
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. degree — from a university
  13. hand — help
  14. can — to be able to
  15. present — there
  16. present — the time now
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. can — a tin
  20. pitch — completely
  21. degree — temperature
  22. row — a line
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. nail — for a hammer

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