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: trunk · fan · lie · wake · current · lean · charge · hide

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. current — of water
  3. charge — electricity
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. current — happening now
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. current — electric
  10. charge — a price
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. charge — in control
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. lean — to bend
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. lie — to recline
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. wake — a trail
  22. lean — thin
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lean — to rest against

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