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. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. drill — army training
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. saw — the tool
  5. drill — the tool
  6. bank — for money
  7. charge — in control
  8. field — for sport
  9. charge — a price
  10. field — a subject
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. saw — the tool
  13. field — farmland
  14. bank — for money
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. lie — to recline
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. charge — electricity
  19. degree — temperature
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bank — of a river
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. degree — from a university
  24. drill — a practice

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