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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: degree · pitch · mate · club · hide · current

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. current — happening now
  3. club — for dancing
  4. mate — a partner
  5. club — for golf
  6. mate — a friend
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. degree — temperature
  9. current — of water
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. pitch — completely
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. current — electric
  14. club — a group
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. degree — an amount
  17. degree — from a university
  18. mate — to breed

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