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 116 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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. wound — an injury
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. fork — in a road
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. charge — in control
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. net — after costs
  10. current — of water
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. pass — a permit
  13. chip — to eat
  14. pit — in a race
  15. pit — a hole
  16. charge — electricity
  17. wound — an injury
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. net — for catching
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. current — electric
  22. net — in sport
  23. chip — for betting
  24. current — happening now

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