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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bowl · last · cue · object · ball · charge · bat · current

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. charge — electricity
  3. current — happening now
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bat — the animal
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. last — final
  8. charge — in control
  9. current — of water
  10. cue — a signal
  11. ball — a dance
  12. object — a thing
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. current — electric
  15. object — to protest
  16. charge — a price
  17. last — to go on
  18. cue — for pool
  19. last — finally
  20. object — an aim
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. cue — a hint

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