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: sharp · current · rule · snap · wound · court · charge · bank

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. bank — for money
  5. wound — an injury
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. sharp — clever
  8. charge — electricity
  9. court — of a king
  10. bank — for money
  11. current — of water
  12. court — for sport
  13. charge — in control
  14. rule — government
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. charge — a price
  17. court — of law
  18. bank — of a river
  19. current — electric
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. wound — an injury
  22. snap — to click
  23. rule — a law
  24. rule — to rule out

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