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 on a ________________ here.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. file — a tool
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. charge — in control
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. current — happening now
  7. current — of water
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. wound — an injury
  10. file — a document
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. wound — an injury
  13. charge — electricity
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. file — a line of people
  18. season — in sport
  19. charge — a price
  20. current — electric
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. roll — a cake
  23. season — of the year
  24. roll — a list

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