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: current · squash · degree · bay · lash · charge · temple · rule

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. charge — a price
  6. charge — in control
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. rule — government
  9. current — electric
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. degree — from a university
  12. current — of water
  13. charge — electricity
  14. squash — to crush
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. degree — an amount
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. current — happening now
  22. squash — the sport
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. degree — temperature

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