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: roll · kick · stand · temple · degree · lean · charge · bear

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  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. stand — to bear
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. bear — the animal
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. charge — a price
  8. degree — an amount
  9. lean — to bend
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. charge — electricity
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. charge — in control
  16. roll — a list
  17. degree — temperature
  18. bear — the animal
  19. roll — a cake
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. kick — in football
  22. lean — thin
  23. roll — on a roll
  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