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: plane · deal · rock · charge · current · shower · squash · fine

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. squash — to crush
  4. squash — the sport
  5. rock — a stone
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. deal — to handle
  9. current — happening now
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. charge — in control
  12. plane — a tool
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. charge — a price
  15. charge — electricity
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. current — of water
  20. shower — to wash
  21. current — electric
  22. fine — high quality
  23. rock — music
  24. shower — rain

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