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: fine · charge · spell · current · straw · bulb · stem · patient

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. charge — a price
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. spell — letters
  6. bulb — for light
  7. charge — in control
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. fine — all right
  12. current — electric
  13. charge — electricity
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. spell — a short time
  16. stem — to come from
  17. bulb — for light
  18. fine — high quality
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. current — of water
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. spell — magic
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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