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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. mine — for digging
  5. current — electric
  6. lie — to recline
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. mug — a cup
  11. hand — in cards
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. mug — a face
  15. mug — to rob
  16. hand — help
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. stem — to come from
  20. kick — in football
  21. snap — to click
  22. current — happening now
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. current — of water

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