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: bear · dip · calf · charge · degree · pop · field · pass

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. pop — music
  3. charge — electricity
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. charge — a price
  9. pop — soda
  10. field — a subject
  11. field — farmland
  12. bear — the animal
  13. pass — a permit
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. pop — to visit
  16. degree — from a university
  17. dip — to sink
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bear — the animal
  20. charge — in control
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. field — for sport
  24. degree — an amount

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