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: tear · charge · wave · current · sharp · club · dip · bay

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. current — electric
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. sharp — clever
  7. tear — from crying
  8. current — of water
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. charge — a price
  12. current — happening now
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. club — a group
  15. dip — to sink
  16. club — for dancing
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. charge — electricity
  19. club — for golf
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. charge — in control
  23. tear — to rip
  24. tear — from crying

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