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 · stick · degree · charge · staff · toast · arm · hide

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. staff — employees
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. degree — an amount
  5. degree — from a university
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. charge — a price
  9. bore — to tire
  10. charge — in control
  11. bore — to drill
  12. toast — bread
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. degree — temperature
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. charge — electricity
  19. staff — a stick
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. staff — employees

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