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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. rest — what's left
  3. prune — to trim
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. can — a tin
  6. current — happening now
  7. rest — what's left
  8. current — of water
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. charge — a price
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. can — a tin
  13. current — electric
  14. cold — not warm
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. rest — a break
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. cold — an illness
  21. can — to be able to
  22. charge — in control
  23. charge — electricity
  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