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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. degree — temperature
  4. present — there
  5. degree — from a university
  6. swing — in golf
  7. dip — to sink
  8. current — happening now
  9. pound — a weight
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. swing — music
  14. present — a gift
  15. current — electric
  16. swing — to play on
  17. present — the time now
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. capital — a city
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. capital — money
  23. current — of water
  24. degree — an amount

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