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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. ground — the earth
  3. ground — a position
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. firm — a company
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. ground — crushed
  8. degree — an amount
  9. firm — decided
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. firm — steady
  12. season — of the year
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. mug — to rob
  15. ball — a great time
  16. mug — a face
  17. ball — a dance
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. degree — from a university
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. degree — temperature
  24. season — in sport

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