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: roll · present · current · chip · straw · court · fall · stem

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. stem — to come from
  3. current — happening now
  4. roll — a list
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. present — the time now
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. current — electric
  9. chip — for betting
  10. fall — to drop
  11. roll — a cake
  12. present — a gift
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. chip — to eat
  15. court — of a king
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. court — of law
  18. current — of water
  19. fall — to drop
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. court — for sport
  23. fall — the season
  24. present — there

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