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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. degree — an amount
  5. charge — electricity
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. stem — to come from
  8. bore — to tire
  9. band — a music group
  10. charge — in control
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. charge — a price
  13. present — a gift
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. band — a ring
  16. present — the time now
  17. shower — rain
  18. bore — to drill
  19. present — there
  20. degree — temperature
  21. shower — to wash
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. degree — from a university

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