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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. bark — to shout
  3. current — of water
  4. current — happening now
  5. hand — in cards
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. key — the most important part
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. ground — crushed
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. key — in music
  14. current — electric
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. pit — a hole
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. ground — the earth
  20. hand — help
  21. key — for a lock
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pit — in a race

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