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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. bore — to tire
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. deal — to handle
  7. roll — a list
  8. bore — to drill
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. ground — crushed
  12. ground — the earth
  13. degree — temperature
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. roll — a cake
  21. ground — a position
  22. degree — from a university
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. safe — a strongbox

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