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 116 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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bound — certain
  4. current — electric
  5. charge — a price
  6. bass — low music
  7. degree — an amount
  8. bound — tied together
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. degree — from a university
  11. game — a match
  12. pound — a weight
  13. game — wild animals
  14. degree — temperature
  15. current — happening now
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. bound — obliged
  18. current — of water
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pit — a hole
  21. charge — electricity
  22. charge — in control
  23. bass — the fish
  24. game — a kind of play

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