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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. pit — a hole
  3. current — of water
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. spring — of water
  6. pit — in a race
  7. charge — electricity
  8. shower — to wash
  9. charge — a price
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. charge — in control
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. spring — a coil
  15. bank — for money
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. shower — rain
  18. current — happening now
  19. current — electric
  20. mine — for digging
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. bank — for money
  24. spring — the season

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