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: deal · spell · pitch · fork · charge · roll · fan · current

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. spell — letters
  3. charge — a price
  4. current — of water
  5. spell — magic
  6. fork — in a road
  7. current — happening now
  8. current — electric
  9. deal — to handle
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. charge — in control
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. spell — a short time
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. charge — electricity
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. roll — a cake
  22. roll — a list
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. pitch — completely

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