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: ruler · rule · fan · nail · degree · pit · snap · vault

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. rule — government
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. degree — an amount
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. rule — a law
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. snap — to click
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. pit — a hole
  15. degree — temperature
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. pit — in a race
  20. vault — a safe
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. degree — from a university

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