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 · roll · bank · bass · chip · spell · season · fan

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. season — of the year
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. chip — for betting
  7. current — of water
  8. spell — a short time
  9. spell — magic
  10. bank — of a river
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. bank — for money
  13. roll — a cake
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. bank — for money
  16. roll — a list
  17. season — in sport
  18. chip — to eat
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. current — happening now
  23. current — electric
  24. spell — letters

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