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: ground · chip · bass · charge · pass · lie · bore · degree

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bass — low music
  4. charge — a price
  5. ground — a position
  6. bore — to tire
  7. ground — crushed
  8. degree — from a university
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. pass — a permit
  11. degree — temperature
  12. bore — to drill
  13. chip — for betting
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. charge — electricity
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. bass — the fish
  19. lie — to recline
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. chip — to eat
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. charge — in control
  24. ground — the earth

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