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: current · capital · wave · jam · snap · suit · bound · shower

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. suit — to fit
  3. bound — certain
  4. current — electric
  5. shower — rain
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. bound — tied together
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. suit — in cards
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. current — of water
  14. shower — to wash
  15. snap — to click
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. capital — money
  21. suit — clothes
  22. current — happening now
  23. capital — a city
  24. bound — obliged

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