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. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. degree — temperature
  3. mug — a face
  4. mug — a cup
  5. bulb — for light
  6. chair — a leader
  7. cue — for pool
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. cue — a signal
  13. toast — bread
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. degree — from a university
  16. cue — a hint
  17. mug — to rob
  18. bulb — for light
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. content — happy
  22. board — a committee
  23. board — to get on
  24. content — the amount

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