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: content · shower · file · current · toast · suit · row · ground

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. shower — rain
  3. suit — in cards
  4. current — of water
  5. ground — crushed
  6. file — a line of people
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. file — a document
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. file — a tool
  11. current — happening now
  12. suit — to fit
  13. content — the amount
  14. shower — to wash
  15. current — electric
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. toast — bread
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. content — happy
  20. ground — the earth
  21. row — a line
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. row — to paddle
  24. suit — clothes

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