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: chip · perch · mate · degree · rash · fine · trunk · rule

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. fine — high quality
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. chip — to eat
  6. degree — temperature
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. mate — a friend
  10. mate — a partner
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. mate — to breed
  13. degree — an amount
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. chip — for betting
  16. perch — the fish
  17. rash — hasty
  18. degree — from a university
  19. rash — a series
  20. rule — a law
  21. rule — government
  22. fine — all right
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. perch — for a bird

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