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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. degree — an amount
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. chip — for betting
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. bass — the fish
  10. degree — from a university
  11. bass — low music
  12. content — the amount
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. content — happy
  18. ball — a great time
  19. toast — bread
  20. degree — temperature
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. chip — to eat
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. lie — to recline

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