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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. current — of water
  3. current — happening now
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. current — electric
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. chip — to eat
  8. wake — a trail
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. rash — hasty
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. kid — child
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. chip — for betting
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. pop — music
  19. rash — a series
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. pop — to visit
  22. kid — to tease
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. rash — on the skin

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