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: arm · ruler · pit · court · stick · wound · degree · key

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. wound — an injury
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. key — for a lock
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. court — for sport
  9. court — of a king
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. key — the most important part
  13. wound — an injury
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. pit — in a race
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. key — in music
  19. degree — an amount
  20. pit — a hole
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. degree — from a university
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. court — of law

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