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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. charge — a price
  3. charge — in control
  4. degree — temperature
  5. mate — to breed
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. degree — from a university
  11. deal — to handle
  12. degree — an amount
  13. mate — a partner
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. bear — the animal
  17. mate — a friend
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. charge — electricity

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