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: kid · pitcher · dip · present · charge · racket · current · nail

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. current — happening now
  4. current — of water
  5. current — electric
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. kid — to tease
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. present — the time now
  15. charge — a price
  16. dip — to sink
  17. charge — electricity
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. kid — child
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. present — a gift
  23. charge — in control
  24. nail — on a finger

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