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: tube · bank · roll · charge · prune · pitcher · can · current

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. can — a tin
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. prune — to trim
  5. can — to be able to
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. current — of water
  8. bank — for money
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. can — a tin
  11. current — happening now
  12. tube — the underground
  13. charge — in control
  14. tube — a container
  15. charge — electricity
  16. current — electric
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. prune — to trim
  19. charge — a price
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bank — for money
  22. roll — a cake
  23. roll — a list
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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