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: ball · bat · lean · roll · charge · degree · sharp · safe

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. degree — an amount
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. ball — a dance
  5. degree — from a university
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. roll — a list
  8. bat — the animal
  9. lean — thin
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. ball — a great time
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. charge — a price
  17. charge — in control
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. degree — temperature
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. lean — to bend
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. roll — a cake
  24. sharp — clever

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