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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. key — in music
  3. key — for a lock
  4. band — a music group
  5. charge — a price
  6. key — the most important part
  7. charge — electricity
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. wake — a trail
  12. current — electric
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. content — happy
  15. band — a ring
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. content — the amount
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. charge — in control
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. current — happening now
  24. content — videos and posts

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