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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. firm — decided
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. rock — music
  8. firm — a company
  9. ground — crushed
  10. kick — in football
  11. rock — a stone
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. capital — money
  15. hand — help
  16. firm — steady
  17. ground — the earth
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. ground — a position
  20. current — electric
  21. current — happening now
  22. capital — a city
  23. hand — in cards
  24. lash — to lash out

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