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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. mug — to rob
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. squash — to crush
  8. clip — to cut
  9. key — the most important part
  10. clip — for paper
  11. toast — bread
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. mug — a face
  14. clip — a video
  15. degree — temperature
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. key — in music
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. degree — an amount
  20. mug — a cup
  21. key — for a lock
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. degree — from a university
  24. squash — the 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