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: foot · content · dip · row · mine · mug · current · pitcher

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. mine — for digging
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. dip — to sink
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. row — to paddle
  13. current — electric
  14. current — happening now
  15. mug — a face
  16. content — the amount
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. content — happy
  19. row — a line
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. foot — a measure
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. current — of water
  24. mug — to rob

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