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: bank · chest · chip · ruler · dip · current · wound · jam

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. dip — to sink
  5. current — happening now
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. bank — for money
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. chip — for betting
  13. chip — to eat
  14. chest — a box
  15. wound — an injury
  16. current — electric
  17. current — of water
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. wound — an injury
  21. bank — for money
  22. chest — of your body
  23. chest — of your body
  24. ruler — a monarch

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