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: swing · stem · calf · charge · mug · season · current · jam

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. swing — music
  3. mug — to rob
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. charge — a price
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. current — of water
  8. season — of the year
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. stem — to come from
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. swing — to play on
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. mug — a cup
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. charge — in control
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. current — electric
  20. mug — a face
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. swing — in golf
  23. charge — electricity
  24. season — in sport

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