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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mark · bulb · bear · chip · fall · content · nail · degree

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. chip — for betting
  3. bear — the animal
  4. content — happy
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. bulb — for light
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. degree — temperature
  11. fall — to drop
  12. degree — an amount
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bear — the animal
  16. content — the amount
  17. mark — a grade
  18. chip — to eat
  19. fall — the season
  20. fall — to drop
  21. degree — from a university
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. nail — for a hammer

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