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: spring · chip · charge · drill · current · plane · chest · tube

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. spring — the season
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. charge — in control
  6. charge — electricity
  7. drill — the tool
  8. current — of water
  9. tube — the underground
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. charge — a price
  12. chest — a box
  13. current — electric
  14. current — happening now
  15. chest — of your body
  16. chip — for betting
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. spring — of water
  19. chip — to eat
  20. chest — of your body
  21. drill — a practice
  22. drill — army training
  23. plane — a tool
  24. spring — a coil

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