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: foot · current · pitcher · face · hide · degree · tube · net

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. tube — a container
  6. degree — temperature
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. degree — an amount
  9. net — in sport
  10. tube — the underground
  11. foot — a measure
  12. current — happening now
  13. current — of water
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. face — to confront
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. net — after costs
  18. degree — from a university
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. current — electric
  22. face — to point toward
  23. face — part of the head
  24. pitcher — a jug

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