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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. charge — a price
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. degree — an amount
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. charge — in control
  8. net — for catching
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. degree — temperature
  11. pass — a permit
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. rest — what's left
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. net — after costs
  17. hand — in cards
  18. charge — electricity
  19. rest — what's left
  20. degree — from a university
  21. rest — a break
  22. net — in sport
  23. roll — a cake
  24. hand — help

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