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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. fork — in a road
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. current — happening now
  6. bear — the animal
  7. object — a thing
  8. current — electric
  9. degree — temperature
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. degree — an amount
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. object — to protest
  16. current — of water
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bat — the animal
  21. object — an aim
  22. degree — from a university
  23. wax — to grow
  24. wax — in the ear

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