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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. bat — the animal
  5. cue — for pool
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. charge — electricity
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. current — of water
  11. content — the amount
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. current — happening now
  15. content — happy
  16. charge — a price
  17. current — electric
  18. charge — in control
  19. cue — a signal
  20. pound — a weight
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. deal — to handle
  23. cue — a hint
  24. bat — for baseball

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