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: lie · snap · degree · present · lash · lean · drill · mate

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. drill — a practice
  3. degree — an amount
  4. mate — a friend
  5. present — a gift
  6. lie — to recline
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. present — the time now
  10. snap — to click
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. present — there
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lean — thin
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. drill — the tool
  18. drill — army training
  19. mate — to breed
  20. degree — from a university
  21. mate — a partner
  22. lean — to bend
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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