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: racket · kick · charge · current · mark · staff · band · bound

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bound — certain
  4. current — of water
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. band — a ring
  7. mark — a trace
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. bound — tied together
  10. kick — in football
  11. staff — a stick
  12. current — electric
  13. bound — obliged
  14. current — happening now
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. mark — a grade
  18. staff — employees
  19. band — a music group
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. charge — electricity
  22. staff — employees
  23. charge — a price
  24. charge — in control

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