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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  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. mug — a face
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. degree — temperature
  5. mug — a cup
  6. squash — to crush
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bound — tied together
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. squash — the sport
  11. perch — the fish
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. saw — the tool
  15. degree — an amount
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bound — certain
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. mug — to rob
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. saw — the tool
  23. squash — the vegetable
  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