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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. ground — a position
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. spell — magic
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. current — electric
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. clip — to cut
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. clip — a video
  13. ground — crushed
  14. pop — music
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. rush — hurry
  17. current — of water
  18. spell — a short time
  19. pop — soda
  20. current — happening now
  21. pop — to visit
  22. clip — for paper
  23. spell — letters
  24. nail — on a finger

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