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: spell · rash · band · current · key · row · temple · degree

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. current — happening now
  3. degree — an amount
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. key — the most important part
  6. rash — hasty
  7. key — for a lock
  8. row — to paddle
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. key — in music
  11. current — of water
  12. spell — a short time
  13. band — a music group
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. spell — letters
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. rash — a series
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. band — a ring
  20. current — electric
  21. spell — magic
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. degree — from a university
  24. row — a line

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