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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. band — a ring
  3. capital — a city
  4. can — a tin
  5. band — a music group
  6. charge — electricity
  7. can — to be able to
  8. capital — money
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. can — a tin
  11. kid — to tease
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. charge — in control
  16. charge — a price
  17. current — happening now
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. kid — child
  22. current — electric
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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