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 116 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: fan · content · kid · bound · face · dip · current · racket

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. current — happening now
  3. content — happy
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. kid — child
  6. current — of water
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. face — to point toward
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. content — the amount
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. dip — to sink
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. bound — tied together
  17. current — electric
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. face — to confront
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. bound — certain
  22. face — part of the head
  23. kid — to tease
  24. racket — for tennis

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