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: roll · hide · drill · cue · degree · mug · season · foot

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. drill — the tool
  3. foot — a measure
  4. mug — a face
  5. mug — a cup
  6. cue — a hint
  7. drill — a practice
  8. mug — to rob
  9. degree — from a university
  10. drill — army training
  11. cue — for pool
  12. season — of the year
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. degree — an amount
  15. cue — a signal
  16. roll — a list
  17. season — in sport
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. degree — temperature
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. roll — a cake

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