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 116 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: charge · chair · stock · rule · swing · degree · mark · rock

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. swing — in golf
  4. swing — to play on
  5. rule — a law
  6. mark — a trace
  7. stock — goods
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. stock — shares
  10. rock — a stone
  11. charge — in control
  12. degree — from a university
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. charge — a price
  15. degree — an amount
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. charge — electricity
  19. chair — a leader
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. swing — music
  22. rock — music
  23. mark — a grade
  24. rule — government

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