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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. current — happening now
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. current — of water
  5. fine — high quality
  6. mate — to breed
  7. stock — goods
  8. chip — for betting
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. mate — a partner
  11. roll — a list
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. current — electric
  14. stock — shares
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. mate — a friend
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. fine — all right
  21. perch — the fish
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. chip — to eat
  24. perch — for a bird

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