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: bound · ground · mouse · degree · straw · lash · rock · chip

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. rock — a stone
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. degree — temperature
  6. ground — the earth
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. chip — for betting
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. ground — a position
  12. degree — from a university
  13. bound — obliged
  14. chip — to eat
  15. rock — music
  16. ground — crushed
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. bound — certain
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. degree — an amount
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. bound — tied together

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