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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. root — the cause
  3. root — of a plant
  4. shower — to wash
  5. degree — from a university
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. wind — moving air
  8. charge — a price
  9. root — of a word
  10. degree — temperature
  11. shower — rain
  12. charge — electricity
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. toast — bread
  17. present — a gift
  18. wind — moving air
  19. present — the time now
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. present — there
  24. degree — an amount

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