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 116 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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  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. current — electric
  2. wound — an injury
  3. file — a document
  4. charge — a price
  5. file — a tool
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. band — a ring
  8. band — a music group
  9. file — a line of people
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. mine — for digging
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. mug — a cup
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mug — to rob
  16. current — of water
  17. charge — in control
  18. charge — electricity
  19. wound — an injury
  20. mug — a face
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. band — a rubber band
  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