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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. current — happening now
  3. track — to keep track
  4. degree — an amount
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. row — to paddle
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. track — a path
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. degree — temperature
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. current — of water
  15. squash — the sport
  16. squash — to crush
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. wound — an injury
  19. degree — from a university
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. row — a line
  22. wound — an injury
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. track — a song

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