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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. current — of water
  3. rest — a break
  4. ground — crushed
  5. key — the most important part
  6. net — after costs
  7. rest — what's left
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. rest — what's left
  10. current — electric
  11. net — for catching
  12. ground — the earth
  13. rock — music
  14. pop — music
  15. current — happening now
  16. net — in sport
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. pop — to visit
  19. sharp — clever
  20. key — for a lock
  21. key — in music
  22. rock — a stone
  23. ground — a position
  24. sharp — exactly

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