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 · pit · can · mine · charge · tube · root · roll

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. charge — electricity
  3. root — the cause
  4. current — happening now
  5. pit — in a race
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — to be able to
  9. root — of a plant
  10. current — of water
  11. charge — a price
  12. tube — the underground
  13. can — a tin
  14. pit — a hole
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. tube — a container
  17. roll — a cake
  18. charge — in control
  19. mine — for digging
  20. roll — a list
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. current — electric
  23. root — of a word
  24. roll — on a roll

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