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 116 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: key · bore · sharp · ball · pitcher · bowl · degree · wound

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. wound — an injury
  4. sharp — clever
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. key — in music
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ball — a dance
  13. degree — temperature
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bore — to drill
  17. key — for a lock
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. wound — an injury
  20. degree — an amount
  21. degree — from a university
  22. key — the most important part
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. bore — gave birth

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