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 116 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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. plane — a tool
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. kick — in football
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. tear — from crying
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. tear — to rip
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. charge — a price
  13. charge — electricity
  14. degree — from a university
  15. degree — temperature
  16. ball — a great time
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. degree — an amount
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. ball — a dance
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. band — a ring
  23. band — a music group
  24. tear — from crying

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