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 120 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 · plane · degree · pass · face · rock · ball · mate

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. degree — an amount
  3. mate — a partner
  4. rock — music
  5. ball — a dance
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. face — to point toward
  8. plane — a tool
  9. face — part of the head
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. degree — temperature
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. pass — a permit
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. degree — from a university
  16. mate — to breed
  17. face — to confront
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ball — a great time
  21. mate — a friend
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. rock — a stone

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