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: bank · charge · staff · pop · chest · safe · file · degree

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. staff — employees
  3. file — a document
  4. chest — a box
  5. degree — an amount
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. staff — a stick
  8. pop — music
  9. staff — employees
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bank — for money
  12. degree — temperature
  13. bank — of a river
  14. charge — electricity
  15. pop — soda
  16. charge — in control
  17. bank — for money
  18. file — a tool
  19. degree — from a university
  20. pop — to visit
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. chest — of your body
  23. charge — a price
  24. file — a line of people

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