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: suit · bulb · current · dip · degree · pound · net · plane

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. current — electric
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — clothes
  6. degree — from a university
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. net — for catching
  9. plane — a tool
  10. net — after costs
  11. net — in sport
  12. dip — to sink
  13. suit — to fit
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. degree — an amount
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. current — happening now
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. pound — a weight
  20. current — of water
  21. degree — temperature
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. bulb — of a plant

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