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: kick · foot · bass · mouse · bore · net · content · stand

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. net — for catching
  4. bore — to tire
  5. kick — in football
  6. foot — a measure
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. content — the amount
  11. stand — to bear
  12. bore — to drill
  13. content — happy
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. bass — low music
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. net — after costs
  19. net — in sport
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. bass — the fish
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. kick — a thrill

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