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: current · pass · perch · mark · chip · degree · file · face

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. pass — a permit
  3. current — of water
  4. mark — a trace
  5. degree — from a university
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. file — a document
  9. current — electric
  10. mark — a grade
  11. chip — for betting
  12. current — happening now
  13. face — part of the head
  14. face — to confront
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. degree — an amount
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. degree — temperature
  19. file — a line of people
  20. file — a tool
  21. perch — the fish
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. face — to point toward
  24. chip — in a computer

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