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 120 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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. bank — of a river
  3. firm — steady
  4. court — for sport
  5. chip — to eat
  6. current — of water
  7. firm — decided
  8. firm — a company
  9. prune — to trim
  10. spring — a coil
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. spring — the season
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. prune — to trim
  15. court — of law
  16. bank — for money
  17. fine — all right
  18. chip — for betting
  19. spring — of water
  20. bank — for money
  21. fine — high quality
  22. current — electric
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. court — of a king

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