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

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. charge — a price
  4. degree — an amount
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. degree — temperature
  7. charge — electricity
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. bound — obliged
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. row — to paddle
  14. degree — from a university
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. bound — certain
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. pass — a permit
  21. row — a line
  22. charge — in control
  23. bound — tied together
  24. fan — a supporter

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