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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. charge — in control
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. stand — to bear
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. charge — a price
  8. current — happening now
  9. hand — help
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. cold — not warm
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. charge — electricity
  17. cold — an illness
  18. current — electric
  19. fork — in a road
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. current — of water
  24. hand — in cards

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