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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. ground — the earth
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. chair — a leader
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. pop — soda
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. ground — crushed
  10. rule — government
  11. rule — a law
  12. degree — from a university
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. swing — in golf
  16. degree — an amount
  17. ground — a position
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. degree — temperature
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. pop — music
  23. swing — to play on
  24. swing — music

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