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: wound · bound · leaves · current · game · root · bowl · content

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. current — electric
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. root — of a plant
  6. wound — an injury
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. content — the amount
  10. wound — an injury
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. game — a match
  14. content — happy
  15. root — the cause
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. game — wild animals
  20. bound — certain
  21. bound — tied together
  22. current — of water
  23. root — of a word
  24. game — a kind of play

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