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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. bound — certain
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. present — a gift
  5. can — a tin
  6. degree — from a university
  7. pop — music
  8. bound — obliged
  9. roll — a list
  10. pop — soda
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. present — there
  14. degree — temperature
  15. degree — an amount
  16. saw — the tool
  17. present — the time now
  18. dip — to sink
  19. bound — tied together
  20. roll — a cake
  21. can — to be able to
  22. can — a tin
  23. saw — the tool
  24. pop — to visit

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