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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. charge — electricity
  3. bulb — for light
  4. drill — the tool
  5. bulb — for light
  6. drill — a practice
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. hand — help
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. capital — money
  12. hand — in cards
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. current — of water
  16. charge — in control
  17. charge — a price
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. drill — army training
  23. current — happening now
  24. capital — a city

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