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 116 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 · chip · cap · mark · wave · straw · current · charge

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. charge — electricity
  3. charge — a price
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. current — happening now
  12. mark — a trace
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. chip — to eat
  15. cap — a hat
  16. mark — a grade
  17. current — of water
  18. current — electric
  19. charge — in control
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. cap — of ice
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. cap — a lid
  24. chip — in a computer

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