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: degree · chest · drill · craft · game · charge · rock · can

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. rock — a stone
  3. degree — an amount
  4. drill — army training
  5. craft — boats
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. game — a match
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. rock — music
  10. craft — a skill
  11. drill — a practice
  12. can — a tin
  13. charge — a price
  14. game — wild animals
  15. chest — a box
  16. can — a tin
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. charge — electricity
  19. chest — of your body
  20. charge — in control
  21. chest — of your body
  22. can — to be able to
  23. drill — the tool
  24. degree — from a university

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