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: straw · degree · board · dip · fall · ruler · pound · press

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. board — a committee
  3. dip — to sink
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. press — to push
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. press — newspapers
  10. press — a publisher
  11. degree — temperature
  12. board — to get on
  13. fall — to drop
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. pound — a weight
  19. fall — the season
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. degree — from a university
  22. degree — an amount
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. dip — a sauce

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