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 120 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: mate · saw · club · deal · current · lash · spring · charge

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. current — of water
  3. charge — a price
  4. spring — of water
  5. spring — the season
  6. club — for golf
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. mate — a friend
  9. spring — a coil
  10. saw — the tool
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. club — a group
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. club — for dancing
  15. charge — electricity
  16. current — electric
  17. current — happening now
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. deal — to handle
  20. mate — a partner
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. mate — to breed
  23. charge — in control
  24. deal — a big deal

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