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: temple · current · hide · scale · charge · wound · snap · fork

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. scale — in music
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. current — electric
  9. snap — to click
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. fork — in a road
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. charge — electricity
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. scale — size or range
  16. wound — an injury
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. wound — an injury
  22. charge — in control
  23. current — happening now
  24. charge — a price

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