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 · pitch · mouse · kick · roll · wax · cap · current

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. wax — to grow
  5. degree — temperature
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. cap — of ice
  8. pitch — completely
  9. current — electric
  10. cap — a lid
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. degree — an amount
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. roll — a list
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. current — of water
  19. current — happening now
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. kick — in football
  22. degree — from a university
  23. cap — a hat
  24. mouse — the animal

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