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: degree · mouse · bat · tube · ruler · field · coach · racket

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. field — for sport
  3. degree — an amount
  4. tube — a container
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. field — farmland
  8. bat — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. field — a subject
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. degree — from a university
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. tube — the underground
  22. degree — temperature
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. mouse — the animal

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