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: can · board · fan · file · current · pop · stock · bulb

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. bulb — for light
  3. board — to get on
  4. stock — goods
  5. can — a tin
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. stock — shares
  9. pop — music
  10. current — of water
  11. current — electric
  12. board — a committee
  13. file — a document
  14. file — a line of people
  15. can — a tin
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. pop — to visit
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. can — to be able to
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pop — soda
  23. file — a tool
  24. bulb — for light

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