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: rash · ground · object · toast · sharp · current · wave · lean

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. current — happening now
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. current — electric
  5. rash — a series
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. rash — hasty
  10. ground — a position
  11. object — a thing
  12. object — to protest
  13. current — of water
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. ground — the earth
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. lean — thin
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. sharp — clever
  20. lean — to bend
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. object — an aim
  23. toast — bread
  24. toast — the most admired

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