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: bore · racket · date · mouse · tube · charge · degree · craft

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. degree — temperature
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. charge — electricity
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. craft — boats
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. craft — a skill
  15. bore — to tire
  16. charge — in control
  17. charge — a price
  18. tube — a container
  19. tube — the underground
  20. degree — an amount
  21. bore — to drill
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. degree — from a university
  24. bore — gave birth

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