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

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. stand — to bear
  6. land — a country
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. rush — hurry
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. wind — moving air
  14. land — ground
  15. wind — moving air
  16. present — the time now
  17. land — to come down
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. current — electric
  20. present — there
  21. current — happening now
  22. current — of water
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. wind — to turn a key

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