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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. degree — from a university
  3. degree — temperature
  4. swing — in golf
  5. rule — government
  6. degree — an amount
  7. mate — to breed
  8. object — to protest
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. charge — electricity
  11. mate — a friend
  12. stock — shares
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. object — a thing
  17. swing — music
  18. charge — a price
  19. plane — a tool
  20. object — an aim
  21. mate — a partner
  22. rule — a law
  23. swing — to play on
  24. charge — in control

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