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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. rash — a series
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. current — happening now
  7. rash — hasty
  8. current — electric
  9. squash — to crush
  10. board — to get on
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. net — after costs
  14. board — a committee
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. mark — a trace
  17. squash — the sport
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. mark — a grade
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. net — for catching
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. net — in sport

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