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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. stock — goods
  3. rock — music
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. saw — the tool
  6. charge — electricity
  7. saw — the tool
  8. degree — from a university
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. stock — shares
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. degree — an amount
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. cue — a signal
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. cue — for pool
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. fork — in a road
  20. charge — a price
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. cue — a hint
  23. rock — a stone
  24. degree — temperature

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