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: fine · face · plane · content · saw · ruler · present · degree

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. present — a gift
  3. saw — the tool
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. content — the amount
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. degree — temperature
  8. face — part of the head
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. face — to confront
  12. degree — from a university
  13. fine — high quality
  14. degree — an amount
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. saw — the tool
  17. content — happy
  18. fine — all right
  19. plane — a tool
  20. present — the time now
  21. face — to point toward
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. present — there
  24. plane — in geometry

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