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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. bank — for money
  4. squash — the sport
  5. degree — an amount
  6. current — happening now
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. saw — the tool
  9. mark — a trace
  10. bank — for money
  11. can — to be able to
  12. current — of water
  13. degree — temperature
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. saw — the tool
  16. can — a tin
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. squash — to crush
  19. wake — a trail
  20. mark — a grade
  21. current — electric
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. degree — from a university
  24. bank — of a river

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