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: land · arm · root · hide · band · shower · current · charge

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. shower — rain
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. root — of a plant
  5. charge — in control
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. current — happening now
  8. current — electric
  9. root — of a word
  10. land — to come down
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. charge — a price
  13. band — a ring
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. root — the cause
  16. band — a music group
  17. charge — electricity
  18. current — of water
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. land — a country
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. shower — to wash

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