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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. charge — a price
  5. saw — the tool
  6. degree — temperature
  7. degree — an amount
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. charge — in control
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. key — for a lock
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. key — the most important part
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. key — in music
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. charge — electricity
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. degree — from a university

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