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: swing · squash · pitcher · cue · mate · press · degree · current

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. squash — to crush
  3. current — of water
  4. degree — an amount
  5. press — a publisher
  6. degree — from a university
  7. swing — music
  8. mate — a partner
  9. mate — to breed
  10. squash — the sport
  11. press — newspapers
  12. cue — a signal
  13. current — electric
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. mate — a friend
  16. current — happening now
  17. cue — for pool
  18. swing — in golf
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. cue — a hint
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. degree — temperature
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. press — to push

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