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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. can — a tin
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. degree — temperature
  7. current — electric
  8. can — a tin
  9. current — happening now
  10. degree — from a university
  11. degree — an amount
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. mug — a cup
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. foot — a measure
  17. ball — a great time
  18. mug — a face
  19. can — to be able to
  20. cold — an illness
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. ball — a dance
  23. current — of water
  24. cold — not warm

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