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 120 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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. ground — crushed
  3. spell — magic
  4. current — electric
  5. scale — in music
  6. court — of law
  7. can — to be able to
  8. pop — music
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pitch — completely
  11. scale — size or range
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. spell — a short time
  14. can — a tin
  15. ground — the earth
  16. pop — soda
  17. pop — to visit
  18. current — happening now
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. court — of a king
  21. can — a tin
  22. ground — a position
  23. court — for sport
  24. current — of water

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