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

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. net — in sport
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. degree — temperature
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. charge — electricity
  9. pop — music
  10. net — after costs
  11. degree — from a university
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. degree — an amount
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. net — for catching
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. pop — to visit
  19. pop — soda
  20. charge — a price
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. charge — in control
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — to cool the air

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