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: game · current · court · pit · mine · row · rest · charge

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. charge — in control
  3. row — a line
  4. current — electric
  5. current — of water
  6. charge — a price
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. rest — a break
  9. pit — a hole
  10. game — wild animals
  11. current — happening now
  12. row — to paddle
  13. court — of law
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. pit — in a race
  16. court — of a king
  17. mine — for digging
  18. game — a match
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. charge — electricity
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. court — for sport
  24. rest — what's left

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