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: court · toast · pitcher · bear · degree · staff · safe · mug

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. court — for sport
  4. mug — to rob
  5. staff — employees
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. toast — bread
  11. staff — employees
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. degree — temperature
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. degree — an amount
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. degree — from a university
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. court — of a king
  21. court — of law
  22. staff — a stick
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. mug — a cup

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