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

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. wake — a trail
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. can — to be able to
  5. rule — government
  6. net — after costs
  7. can — a tin
  8. ground — a position
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pound — a weight
  11. net — in sport
  12. current — electric
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. rule — a law
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. current — happening now
  18. squash — the sport
  19. net — for catching
  20. ground — the earth
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. current — of water
  23. can — a tin
  24. squash — to crush

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