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: rock · ruler · squash · pitcher · bank · lie · pass · degree

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. squash — to crush
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. degree — an amount
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. lie — to recline
  8. bank — for money
  9. rock — a stone
  10. degree — temperature
  11. degree — from a university
  12. squash — the sport
  13. rock — music
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pass — a permit
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bank — for money
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. bank — of a river

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