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 116 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: spell · season · board · current · court · pop · bank · plane

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. current — of water
  3. court — of a king
  4. bank — for money
  5. spell — magic
  6. board — a committee
  7. board — to get on
  8. pop — to visit
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bank — for money
  11. spell — a short time
  12. pop — soda
  13. court — for sport
  14. spell — letters
  15. bank — of a river
  16. season — in sport
  17. court — of law
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. season — of the year
  20. pop — music
  21. current — electric
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. plane — a tool
  24. season — to add flavour

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