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: can · pitch · degree · wind · bank · current · game · suit

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. current — of water
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. game — wild animals
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — of a river
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. game — a match
  11. suit — in cards
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. can — a tin
  14. degree — an amount
  15. suit — clothes
  16. suit — to fit
  17. degree — temperature
  18. wind — moving air
  19. bank — for money
  20. can — to be able to
  21. current — electric
  22. wind — moving air
  23. degree — from a university
  24. can — a tin

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