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: current · fan · kick · content · sharp · lean · charge · shower

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. kick — in football
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. current — electric
  6. shower — rain
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. charge — a price
  9. content — happy
  10. lean — to bend
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. content — the amount
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. shower — to wash
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — in control
  18. lean — thin
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. current — of water
  21. sharp — clever
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. current — happening now

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