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

Word bank: net · stem · bay · degree · kick · kid · cabinet · charge

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. charge — a price
  3. kid — to tease
  4. net — in sport
  5. kid — child
  6. net — for catching
  7. charge — electricity
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. charge — in control
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. degree — an amount
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. net — after costs
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. kick — in football
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. stem — to come from
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. degree — from a university
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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