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

Word bank: rush · bulb · cold · board · plane · wind · degree · suit

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. board — to get on
  3. wind — moving air
  4. degree — from a university
  5. wind — moving air
  6. degree — temperature
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. degree — an amount
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. bulb — for light
  13. plane — a tool
  14. cold — not warm
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. rush — hurry
  20. cold — an illness
  21. board — a committee
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — in cards

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