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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. ground — crushed
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. ground — the earth
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. row — to paddle
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bear — the animal
  10. current — electric
  11. kick — in football
  12. shower — rain
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. pitch — completely
  15. row — a line
  16. ground — a position
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. current — happening now
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. shower — to wash
  23. current — of water
  24. bear — the animal

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