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 · tube · object · degree · date · board · straw · lie

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. date — the fruit
  4. degree — temperature
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. lie — to recline
  8. degree — an amount
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. object — an aim
  13. tube — a container
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. board — to get on
  16. board — a committee
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. object — to protest
  19. tube — the underground
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. degree — from a university
  24. lie — an untruth

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