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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. degree — an amount
  3. charge — a price
  4. squash — to crush
  5. charge — electricity
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. charge — in control
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. degree — from a university
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. degree — temperature
  14. can — a tin
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. wake — a trail
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. can — to be able to
  19. spell — letters
  20. can — a tin
  21. spell — a short time
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. squash — the sport

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