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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. degree — temperature
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. track — a song
  7. wound — an injury
  8. current — happening now
  9. drill — a practice
  10. cue — a hint
  11. charge — a price
  12. wound — an injury
  13. cue — for pool
  14. drill — the tool
  15. charge — in control
  16. current — of water
  17. degree — an amount
  18. degree — from a university
  19. track — a path
  20. drill — army training
  21. track — to keep track
  22. cue — a signal
  23. charge — electricity
  24. rush — hurry

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