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: bulb · pass · current · chip · rest · perch · kid · nail

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. perch — the fish
  4. current — electric
  5. kid — child
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. chip — for betting
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. pass — a permit
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. rest — what's left
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. rest — a break
  16. current — happening now
  17. rest — what's left
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. current — of water
  20. kid — to tease
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. chip — to eat
  24. bulb — for light

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