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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. ground — the earth
  3. current — happening now
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. current — of water
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. bank — of a river
  9. track — a song
  10. track — to keep track
  11. track — a path
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. ground — a position
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. bank — for money
  17. current — electric
  18. kid — child
  19. toast — bread
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. kid — to tease
  22. bank — for money
  23. ground — crushed
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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