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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. current — electric
  3. charge — in control
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. chip — to eat
  6. object — to protest
  7. charge — a price
  8. charge — electricity
  9. current — happening now
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. tube — a container
  12. capital — money
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. tube — the underground
  16. chip — for betting
  17. capital — a city
  18. object — a thing
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. current — of water
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. kid — child
  23. kid — to tease
  24. tube — in a tire

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