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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. degree — temperature
  7. toast — bread
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. degree — an amount
  10. staff — employees
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. staff — a stick
  14. lean — thin
  15. degree — from a university
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. content — happy
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. staff — employees
  22. content — the amount
  23. lean — to bend
  24. bark — to shout

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