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: file · ground · rush · current · mark · mug · snap · mine

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. mine — for digging
  3. current — happening now
  4. file — a tool
  5. mug — a cup
  6. snap — to click
  7. mug — a face
  8. mug — to rob
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. current — electric
  11. mark — a grade
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. current — of water
  14. ground — crushed
  15. file — a line of people
  16. mark — a trace
  17. rush — hurry
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. file — a document
  20. ground — a position
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. ground — the earth

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