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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. degree — from a university
  4. mine — for digging
  5. current — of water
  6. degree — temperature
  7. charge — in control
  8. current — happening now
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. charge — electricity
  11. date — the fruit
  12. track — a path
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. degree — an amount
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. rule — government
  20. charge — a price
  21. track — a song
  22. current — electric
  23. rule — a law
  24. track — to keep track

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