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 120 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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pit — a hole
  4. degree — an amount
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. charge — a price
  7. charge — electricity
  8. degree — from a university
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. net — in sport
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. degree — temperature
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. net — for catching
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. kid — to tease
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. pit — in a race
  19. charge — in control
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. kid — child
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. net — after costs

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