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 120 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: pitcher · bat · foot · mug · game · bore · swing · degree

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — to tire
  4. swing — to play on
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mug — to rob
  10. swing — in golf
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. foot — a measure
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. bat — the animal
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. game — a match
  17. degree — an amount
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. mug — a face
  21. degree — from a university
  22. game — wild animals
  23. degree — temperature
  24. game — a kind of play

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