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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. object — an aim
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. mine — for digging
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. board — to get on
  7. bear — the animal
  8. ground — a position
  9. bear — the animal
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. ground — the earth
  12. current — happening now
  13. object — a thing
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. current — of water
  17. object — to protest
  18. row — to paddle
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. row — a line
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. board — a committee
  24. current — electric

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