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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. content — happy
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. chair — a leader
  7. current — of water
  8. row — to paddle
  9. charge — in control
  10. current — electric
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. bulb — for light
  13. content — the amount
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. current — happening now
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. saw — the tool
  18. charge — a price
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bulb — for light
  21. saw — the tool
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. charge — electricity
  24. chair — a professorship

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