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 116 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 · fall · pound · pit · current · swing · land · cabinet

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. pit — in a race
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. pit — a hole
  5. degree — from a university
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. fall — to drop
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. swing — to play on
  12. current — electric
  13. swing — music
  14. land — to come down
  15. current — happening now
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. land — ground
  18. land — a country
  19. pound — a weight
  20. swing — in golf
  21. current — of water
  22. degree — temperature
  23. degree — an amount
  24. fall — to drop

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