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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. charge — a price
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. spring — of water
  7. charge — electricity
  8. spring — the season
  9. degree — an amount
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. degree — from a university
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. pitch — completely
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. charge — in control
  24. degree — temperature

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