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

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. present — a gift
  4. bound — obliged
  5. degree — temperature
  6. pop — to visit
  7. present — there
  8. pop — soda
  9. tear — from crying
  10. can — to be able to
  11. degree — an amount
  12. degree — from a university
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. mug — a cup
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — tied together
  19. tear — to rip
  20. present — the time now
  21. tear — from crying
  22. pop — music
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. mug — to rob

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