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 120 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: current · chip · rest · bulb · branch · fine · cold · racket

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. rest — what's left
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. bulb — for light
  5. current — of water
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. branch — a division
  9. cold — an illness
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. fine — high quality
  12. chip — for betting
  13. chip — to eat
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. fine — all right
  16. cold — not warm
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. current — happening now
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bulb — for light
  21. rest — what's left
  22. current — electric
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. racket — for tennis

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