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: bear · board · rest · press · chip · current · sharp · club

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. current — of water
  3. current — happening now
  4. rest — what's left
  5. press — a publisher
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. board — a committee
  8. rest — what's left
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. current — electric
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. club — for golf
  14. board — to get on
  15. chip — to eat
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. chip — for betting
  20. club — a group
  21. press — newspapers
  22. rest — a break
  23. press — to push
  24. club — for dancing

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