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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. content — the amount
  4. degree — an amount
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. degree — temperature
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. craft — a skill
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. craft — boats
  13. current — happening now
  14. degree — from a university
  15. current — electric
  16. content — happy
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. craft — a handicraft

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