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: tube · saw · charge · scale · current · ball · stem · lie

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. ball — a dance
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. scale — in music
  5. current — of water
  6. tube — the underground
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. ball — a great time
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — electricity
  12. saw — the tool
  13. stem — to come from
  14. saw — the tool
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. tube — a container
  18. charge — a price
  19. scale — size or range
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. lie — to recline
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. current — happening now
  24. stem — a stem cell

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