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: bear · jam · roll · charge · temple · last · current · arm

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. last — finally
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. bear — the animal
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. charge — in control
  8. current — happening now
  9. roll — a list
  10. roll — a cake
  11. bear — the animal
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. charge — electricity
  14. current — electric
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. last — to go on
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. charge — a price
  23. current — of water
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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