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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. charge — electricity
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. kid — to tease
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bank — for money
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. current — electric
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. current — happening now
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. charge — a price
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. charge — in control
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. current — of water
  22. bank — for money
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. fork — in a road

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