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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  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. fall — the season
  2. swing — to play on
  3. swing — in golf
  4. swing — music
  5. charge — electricity
  6. charge — in control
  7. current — of water
  8. charge — a price
  9. pop — to visit
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. pop — music
  12. roll — a cake
  13. current — electric
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. fall — to drop
  17. march — music
  18. pop — soda
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. fall — to drop
  21. current — happening now
  22. march — the month
  23. march — the month
  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