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 · charge · hand · current · rush · fan · wave · plane

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  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. fan — a supporter
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. charge — in control
  4. plane — a tool
  5. hand — in cards
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. current — electric
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. sharp — clever
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. hand — help
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. charge — a price
  20. rush — hurry
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. current — of water
  23. charge — electricity
  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