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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. degree — temperature
  5. bank — of a river
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. degree — from a university
  8. charge — a price
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. object — an aim
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. degree — an amount
  13. kid — to tease
  14. bank — for money
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. object — to protest
  17. plane — a tool
  18. mark — a grade
  19. charge — in control
  20. mark — a trace
  21. kid — child
  22. bank — for money
  23. object — a thing
  24. mark — to pay attention

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