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 stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. current — electric
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. cap — of ice
  6. cap — a lid
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. club — for golf
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. fine — high quality
  13. degree — an amount
  14. cap — a hat
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. degree — temperature
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. current — happening now
  19. bat — the animal
  20. club — for dancing
  21. fine — all right
  22. degree — from a university
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. club — a group

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