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: sharp · ruler · lie · degree · press · stem · present · jam

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. present — there
  4. press — newspapers
  5. sharp — clever
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. press — a publisher
  8. degree — from a university
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. lie — to recline
  13. degree — an amount
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. press — to push
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. present — a gift
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. degree — temperature
  22. stem — to come from
  23. present — the time now
  24. stem — of a plant

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