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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. mug — a cup
  3. swing — music
  4. kid — child
  5. mate — a friend
  6. kid — to tease
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. mate — a partner
  9. land — ground
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. mate — to breed
  12. mug — a face
  13. content — the amount
  14. content — happy
  15. mug — to rob
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bear — the animal
  18. swing — in golf
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. land — to come down
  21. land — a country
  22. swing — to play on
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bear — the animal

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