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 120 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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. board — to get on
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. branch — a division
  8. degree — temperature
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. board — a committee
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. squash — the sport
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. degree — from a university
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. degree — an amount
  18. current — happening now
  19. current — electric
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. squash — to crush
  24. current — of water

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