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 · fall · pitcher · field · branch · degree · hand · suit

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. field — a subject
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. hand — in cards
  5. field — for sport
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. suit — to fit
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. suit — clothes
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. fall — to drop
  12. degree — an amount
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — the season
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. hand — help
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. field — farmland
  21. suit — in cards
  22. degree — temperature
  23. degree — from a university
  24. branch — a division

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