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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. charge — electricity
  3. degree — temperature
  4. season — in sport
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bore — to drill
  7. lie — to recline
  8. net — for catching
  9. rush — hurry
  10. charge — in control
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. net — in sport
  13. charge — a price
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. net — after costs
  20. degree — an amount
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. degree — from a university
  24. bore — to tire

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