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 · temple · shower · fine · tube · file · degree · row

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. degree — temperature
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. tube — the underground
  5. row — a line
  6. file — a tool
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. row — to paddle
  9. shower — rain
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. file — a line of people
  12. shower — to wash
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. file — a document
  15. degree — from a university
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. fine — high quality
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. fine — all right
  24. tube — a container

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