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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. degree — temperature
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. charge — a price
  6. degree — an amount
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. prune — to trim
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. swing — in golf
  13. charge — in control
  14. swing — to play on
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. fork — in a road
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. chair — a leader
  19. prune — to trim
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. swing — music
  22. degree — from a university
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. chair — to sit on

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