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: wave · mug · mouse · foot · nail · hide · ball · degree

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. degree — an amount
  5. ball — a great time
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. mug — a cup
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. foot — a measure
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mug — a face
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. degree — from a university
  21. degree — temperature
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. ball — a dance

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