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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. current — of water
  3. board — to get on
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. wound — an injury
  6. hand — help
  7. current — electric
  8. drill — the tool
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. drill — army training
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. current — happening now
  13. drill — a practice
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. wound — an injury
  16. bank — of a river
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. kick — in football
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. hand — in cards
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. bank — for money
  23. board — a committee
  24. bank — for money

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