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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. current — electric
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. current — happening now
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. suit — clothes
  9. degree — an amount
  10. degree — from a university
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. suit — to fit
  15. rush — hurry
  16. wound — an injury
  17. wound — an injury
  18. perch — the fish
  19. current — of water
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. suit — in cards
  24. pass — a permit

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