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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. mark — a grade
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. kick — in football
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. deal — to handle
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. content — the amount
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. mark — a trace
  16. content — happy
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. racket — for tennis

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