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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: dip · ground · firm · court · mug · saw · bulb · current

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. court — of a king
  3. dip — to sink
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. court — of law
  6. firm — a company
  7. mug — a cup
  8. current — of water
  9. court — for sport
  10. bulb — for light
  11. ground — a position
  12. bulb — for light
  13. firm — steady
  14. firm — decided
  15. mug — a face
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. ground — crushed
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. ground — the earth
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — the tool
  23. current — happening now
  24. mug — to rob

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