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: jam · current · fan · tear · lie · game · bank · nail

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. current — of water
  4. current — electric
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. tear — to rip
  7. game — wild animals
  8. bank — for money
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bank — for money
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. game — a match
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. current — happening now
  18. tear — from crying
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. tear — from crying
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. bank — of a river

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