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: rock · current · band · charge · ball · bear · fall · chip

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. current — electric
  3. charge — electricity
  4. ball — a dance
  5. current — happening now
  6. ball — a great time
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. chip — for betting
  9. band — a ring
  10. rock — music
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — the animal
  13. charge — in control
  14. band — a music group
  15. fall — to drop
  16. current — of water
  17. fall — to drop
  18. fall — the season
  19. chip — to eat
  20. rock — a stone
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. charge — a price
  24. ball — a round shape

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