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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. fine — high quality
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. land — to come down
  5. spell — a short time
  6. key — for a lock
  7. current — of water
  8. key — the most important part
  9. land — a country
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. spell — letters
  12. fine — all right
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. wound — an injury
  15. charge — a price
  16. spell — magic
  17. land — ground
  18. charge — in control
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. wound — an injury
  21. key — in music
  22. current — electric
  23. charge — electricity
  24. safe — out of danger

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