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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. charge — electricity
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — to sink
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. staff — employees
  10. degree — from a university
  11. charge — in control
  12. charge — a price
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. pop — music
  15. pop — soda
  16. spring — the season
  17. pop — to visit
  18. spring — of water
  19. toast — bread
  20. staff — employees
  21. degree — an amount
  22. spring — a coil
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. staff — a stick

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