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: plane · jam · current · present · hide · mark · degree · land

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. current — electric
  3. current — happening now
  4. degree — an amount
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. present — the time now
  8. current — of water
  9. mark — a trace
  10. land — to come down
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. mark — a grade
  14. degree — from a university
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. present — a gift
  18. land — ground
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. land — a country
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. plane — a tool
  24. degree — temperature

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