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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. charge — in control
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. degree — an amount
  5. firm — decided
  6. degree — temperature
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. key — the most important part
  10. charge — electricity
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. key — in music
  14. key — for a lock
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. charge — a price
  19. firm — steady
  20. degree — from a university
  21. firm — a company
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. kick — in football

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