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 116 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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. object — to protest
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. bark — to shout
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. race — a contest
  8. object — an aim
  9. present — there
  10. kid — to tease
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. rest — a break
  13. race — the arms race
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. object — a thing
  16. kid — child
  17. current — happening now
  18. rest — what's left
  19. race — humankind
  20. current — electric
  21. rest — what's left
  22. present — the time now
  23. present — a gift
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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