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: ruler · charge · bound · date · face · plane · perch · degree

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. degree — temperature
  3. degree — from a university
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. degree — an amount
  6. face — to point toward
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bound — tied together
  11. perch — the fish
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bound — obliged
  15. date — the fruit
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. face — to confront
  18. plane — a tool
  19. charge — in control
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — a price
  24. bound — certain

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