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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. rush — hurry
  3. bound — certain
  4. pit — a hole
  5. degree — an amount
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. current — of water
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. squash — the sport
  11. fine — all right
  12. current — happening now
  13. pit — in a race
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. degree — from a university
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. fine — high quality
  19. degree — temperature
  20. current — electric
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. bound — tied together
  23. squash — to crush
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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