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 120 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: ball · degree · stem · club · mouse · kick · bore · current

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. bore — to tire
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. club — for golf
  5. current — of water
  6. stem — to come from
  7. ball — a great time
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. club — a group
  10. degree — temperature
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. current — happening now
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. club — for dancing
  18. degree — from a university
  19. degree — an amount
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. ball — a dance
  22. bore — to drill
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. kick — in football

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