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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. roll — a list
  4. current — electric
  5. current — happening now
  6. cap — a hat
  7. bank — for money
  8. cap — a lid
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. prune — to trim
  11. sharp — clever
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. roll — a cake
  14. bank — for money
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. bank — of a river
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. cap — of ice
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. prune — to trim

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