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: current · sharp · roll · cap · lie · can · bay · club

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. can — a tin
  3. lie — to recline
  4. can — a tin
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. cap — of ice
  7. roll — a cake
  8. current — happening now
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. cap — a lid
  13. cap — a hat
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. current — electric
  16. sharp — clever
  17. roll — a list
  18. club — for dancing
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. current — of water
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. can — to be able to
  24. club — for golf

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