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: branch · mug · current · season · present · suit · degree · wind

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. mug — a face
  3. current — electric
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. branch — a division
  6. wind — moving air
  7. suit — in cards
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. present — the time now
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. suit — clothes
  12. current — of water
  13. present — a gift
  14. degree — an amount
  15. suit — to fit
  16. wind — moving air
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. season — of the year
  19. degree — temperature
  20. present — there
  21. season — in sport
  22. mug — a cup
  23. mug — to rob
  24. degree — from a university

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