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: dip · degree · nail · mug · bulb · fan · mouse · scale

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. degree — from a university
  6. bulb — for light
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. dip — to sink
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. degree — an amount
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bulb — for light
  13. mug — a cup
  14. mug — to rob
  15. degree — temperature
  16. mug — a face
  17. scale — in music
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. scale — size or range
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. dip — to dunk

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