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: degree · tube · bound · charge · firm · shower · lash · fan

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. firm — decided
  3. shower — rain
  4. degree — from a university
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. tube — a container
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. degree — temperature
  12. firm — a company
  13. bound — obliged
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. firm — steady
  16. charge — in control
  17. charge — electricity
  18. shower — to wash
  19. degree — an amount
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. bound — certain
  22. charge — a price
  23. tube — the underground
  24. lash — to lash out

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