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 116 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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. race — the arms race
  3. degree — an amount
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. bore — to tire
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. lie — to recline
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. degree — temperature
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. race — a contest
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. degree — from a university
  16. bore — to drill
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. content — the amount
  20. sharp — clever
  21. race — humankind
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. content — happy

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