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 116 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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. saw — the tool
  3. charge — electricity
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. suit — in cards
  6. chip — for betting
  7. suit — clothes
  8. bound — certain
  9. charge — in control
  10. current — happening now
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. rush — hurry
  13. current — electric
  14. court — of law
  15. saw — the tool
  16. chip — to eat
  17. court — for sport
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. bound — obliged
  20. suit — to fit
  21. bound — tied together
  22. charge — a price
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. court — of a king

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