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: row · snap · rock · land · jam · current · bulb · object

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. rock — a stone
  3. land — ground
  4. rock — music
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. land — a country
  7. current — happening now
  8. snap — to click
  9. current — electric
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. row — a line
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. object — an aim
  17. current — of water
  18. object — a thing
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. row — to paddle
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. land — to come down
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. rock — to move gently

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