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: sharp · branch · perch · current · roll · face · spell · chip

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. current — happening now
  6. sharp — clever
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. branch — a division
  9. roll — a list
  10. spell — letters
  11. face — part of the head
  12. spell — a short time
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. current — electric
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. chip — for betting
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. perch — the fish
  19. face — to confront
  20. spell — magic
  21. chip — to eat
  22. roll — a cake
  23. face — to point toward
  24. perch — for a bird

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