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

Word bank: ground · scale · pitcher · dip · saw · current · object · tube

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. current — of water
  3. saw — the tool
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. scale — size or range
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. ground — a position
  9. current — electric
  10. ground — the earth
  11. ground — crushed
  12. object — to protest
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. object — an aim
  17. tube — the underground
  18. object — a thing
  19. tube — a container
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. scale — in music
  22. saw — the tool
  23. dip — to sink
  24. current — happening now

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