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: chip · prune · foot · current · wave · charge · scale · pass

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. current — electric
  3. current — of water
  4. foot — a measure
  5. chip — to eat
  6. scale — size or range
  7. prune — to trim
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. charge — a price
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. chip — for betting
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. charge — in control
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. current — happening now
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. prune — to trim
  21. charge — electricity
  22. scale — in music
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. pass — a permit

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