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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. bark — to shout
  3. degree — an amount
  4. degree — from a university
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. charge — electricity
  8. cap — a lid
  9. charge — a price
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. fine — all right
  12. dip — to sink
  13. cap — of ice
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. degree — temperature
  17. charge — in control
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. fine — high quality
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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