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 · coach · club · content · jam · can · pitcher · face

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. content — the amount
  3. face — part of the head
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. face — to confront
  7. club — for golf
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. content — happy
  11. current — electric
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. face — to point toward
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. can — a tin
  16. club — for dancing
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. current — of water
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. can — a tin
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. current — happening now
  24. can — to be able to

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