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: cap · ruler · degree · cabinet · drill · object · staff · spell

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. degree — from a university
  4. staff — employees
  5. spell — letters
  6. object — to protest
  7. cap — of ice
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. drill — a practice
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. cap — a hat
  12. drill — the tool
  13. staff — a stick
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. spell — magic
  17. drill — army training
  18. staff — employees
  19. spell — a short time
  20. cap — a lid
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. object — an aim
  23. degree — temperature
  24. degree — an amount

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