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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. object — to protest
  3. charge — in control
  4. degree — from a university
  5. bass — the fish
  6. current — electric
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. race — the arms race
  9. degree — an amount
  10. present — a gift
  11. current — of water
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. object — an aim
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. current — happening now
  16. race — a contest
  17. bass — low music
  18. charge — electricity
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. present — there
  21. charge — a price
  22. present — the time now
  23. object — a thing
  24. race — humankind

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