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 124 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: pound · dip · can · rule · degree · staff · current · field

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. rule — a law
  3. pound — a weight
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. dip — to sink
  7. rule — government
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. degree — an amount
  10. field — a subject
  11. staff — a stick
  12. can — to be able to
  13. staff — employees
  14. field — farmland
  15. field — for sport
  16. degree — from a university
  17. current — happening now
  18. staff — employees
  19. current — of water
  20. degree — temperature
  21. can — a tin
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. can — a tin
  24. current — electric

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