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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: dip · charge · chair · coach · rest · degree · trunk · stem

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. dip — to sink
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. charge — a price
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. stem — to come from
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. rest — what's left
  12. degree — from a university
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. degree — an amount
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. rest — a break
  17. degree — temperature
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. charge — electricity
  21. chair — a leader
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. rest — what's left
  24. stem — a stem cell

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