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 · prune · cue · rash · mine · perch · degree · nail

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. degree — temperature
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. degree — from a university
  9. cue — a hint
  10. prune — to trim
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. degree — an amount
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. mine — for digging
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. cue — a signal
  19. prune — to trim
  20. cue — for pool
  21. perch — the fish
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. rash — hasty
  24. ruler — for measuring

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