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 120 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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. object — a thing
  3. charge — in control
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. saw — the tool
  6. stock — goods
  7. file — a line of people
  8. object — to protest
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. current — electric
  12. current — of water
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. stock — shares
  17. object — an aim
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. charge — a price
  21. charge — electricity
  22. file — a document
  23. file — a tool
  24. current — happening now

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