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: roll · sharp · rest · hide · charge · club · bulb · degree

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. roll — a list
  3. club — for dancing
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. bulb — for light
  6. degree — temperature
  7. degree — from a university
  8. club — a group
  9. degree — an amount
  10. roll — a cake
  11. charge — in control
  12. club — for golf
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bulb — for light
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. sharp — clever
  17. rest — what's left
  18. charge — a price
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. charge — electricity
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. rest — what's left

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