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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  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. board — a flat piece
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. land — a country
  4. board — a committee
  5. land — ground
  6. mug — to rob
  7. current — of water
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. charge — electricity
  10. charge — in control
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. current — electric
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. mug — a cup
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. deal — to handle
  18. prune — to trim
  19. board — to get on
  20. mug — a face
  21. land — to come down
  22. charge — a price
  23. prune — to trim
  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