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: degree · racket · current · sharp · rock · press · nail · bat

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. degree — temperature
  4. current — of water
  5. press — a publisher
  6. bat — the animal
  7. degree — from a university
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. rock — a stone
  10. sharp — clever
  11. press — to push
  12. rock — music
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. current — electric
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. degree — an amount
  20. current — happening now
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. press — newspapers

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