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: wake · cue · degree · sharp · current · can · mouse · bulb

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. cue — a hint
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. wake — a trail
  6. bulb — for light
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. can — a tin
  9. sharp — clever
  10. can — a tin
  11. current — electric
  12. current — happening now
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. degree — temperature
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. can — to be able to
  18. cue — a signal
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. degree — from a university
  22. bulb — for light
  23. current — of water
  24. cue — for pool

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