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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. charge — in control
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. rest — what's left
  5. can — a tin
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. can — a tin
  8. charge — a price
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. fork — in a road
  12. degree — from a university
  13. wake — a trail
  14. rest — a break
  15. plane — a tool
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. charge — electricity
  22. can — to be able to
  23. degree — an amount
  24. rest — what's left

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