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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. face — to confront
  3. face — to point toward
  4. swing — in golf
  5. branch — a division
  6. current — of water
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. dip — to sink
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. charge — in control
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. current — happening now
  13. face — part of the head
  14. prune — to trim
  15. swing — music
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. swing — to play on
  19. charge — a price
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bass — the fish
  22. prune — to trim
  23. bass — low music
  24. charge — electricity

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