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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — to tire
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. degree — from a university
  6. saw — the tool
  7. court — for sport
  8. degree — temperature
  9. mark — a trace
  10. court — of a king
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. court — of law
  13. degree — an amount
  14. ball — a great time
  15. suit — in cards
  16. suit — to fit
  17. kick — in football
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. saw — the tool
  20. suit — clothes
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. ball — a dance

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