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: key · press · spring · ball · current · chip · stick · arm

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. spring — the season
  3. current — of water
  4. ball — a dance
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chip — for betting
  8. current — happening now
  9. spring — a coil
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. key — in music
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. press — newspapers
  15. press — a publisher
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. spring — of water
  19. key — for a lock
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. press — to push
  22. ball — a great time
  23. chip — to eat
  24. key — the most important part

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