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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. ball — a great time
  3. content — the amount
  4. bore — to drill
  5. ground — crushed
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. ground — a position
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. mug — to rob
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. degree — an amount
  13. ball — a dance
  14. degree — from a university
  15. mug — a face
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. bat — the animal
  20. degree — temperature
  21. mug — a cup
  22. content — happy
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bore — to tire

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