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: degree · cold · toast · board · current · stand · bass · suit

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. current — electric
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bass — low music
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. cold — an illness
  8. board — to get on
  9. suit — in cards
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. degree — temperature
  14. cold — not warm
  15. degree — from a university
  16. board — a committee
  17. suit — to fit
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. suit — clothes
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. current — of water
  22. degree — an amount
  23. current — happening now
  24. toast — the most admired

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