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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. key — the most important part
  3. mug — a cup
  4. current — happening now
  5. degree — temperature
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. season — of the year
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. pound — a weight
  11. row — a line
  12. current — of water
  13. row — to paddle
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. mug — a face
  18. current — electric
  19. mug — to rob
  20. degree — an amount
  21. key — in music
  22. season — in sport
  23. degree — from a university
  24. key — for a lock

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