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 120 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: scale · calf · charge · face · band · wound · swing · current

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. band — a ring
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. swing — to play on
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. face — to point toward
  8. charge — in control
  9. wound — an injury
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. charge — a price
  12. face — part of the head
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. swing — music
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. wound — an injury
  17. scale — in music
  18. band — a music group
  19. current — of water
  20. swing — in golf
  21. current — electric
  22. charge — electricity
  23. face — to confront
  24. current — happening now

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