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: mark · degree · race · club · tube · charge · lean · current

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. charge — in control
  3. current — electric
  4. charge — a price
  5. tube — a container
  6. mark — a trace
  7. race — a contest
  8. degree — temperature
  9. club — for golf
  10. degree — from a university
  11. lean — to bend
  12. club — for dancing
  13. degree — an amount
  14. mark — a grade
  15. race — the arms race
  16. current — of water
  17. current — happening now
  18. lean — thin
  19. tube — the underground
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. race — humankind
  24. charge — electricity

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