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: charge · degree · mark · arm · rush · spring · foot · staff

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. degree — from a university
  3. charge — in control
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. mark — a grade
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. degree — temperature
  9. rush — hurry
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. staff — employees
  12. mark — a trace
  13. spring — of water
  14. staff — a stick
  15. degree — an amount
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. foot — a measure
  18. spring — a coil
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. staff — employees
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. charge — a price
  24. charge — electricity

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