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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. current — of water
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. pop — to visit
  7. capital — money
  8. drill — army training
  9. rule — a law
  10. club — for dancing
  11. tube — a container
  12. pop — music
  13. club — a group
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. club — for golf
  16. tube — the underground
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. rule — government
  19. drill — a practice
  20. current — happening now
  21. drill — the tool
  22. pop — soda
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. capital — a city

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