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 120 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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. scale — size or range
  4. degree — from a university
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. mate — a friend
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. degree — an amount
  11. charge — in control
  12. present — there
  13. wake — a trail
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. mate — to breed
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. charge — electricity
  19. present — a gift
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. present — the time now
  22. mate — a partner
  23. degree — temperature
  24. scale — in 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