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 120 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 · foot · row · object · suit · tear · current · can

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  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. row — a quarrel
  2. object — an aim
  3. object — to protest
  4. current — electric
  5. tear — to rip
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. suit — in cards
  8. row — to paddle
  9. can — a tin
  10. ground — the earth
  11. can — a tin
  12. ground — crushed
  13. suit — clothes
  14. foot — a measure
  15. current — of water
  16. tear — from crying
  17. ground — a position
  18. object — a thing
  19. tear — from crying
  20. can — to be able to
  21. suit — to fit
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. row — a line
  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