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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. fall — the season
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. fall — to drop
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. lean — thin
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. current — happening now
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. current — electric
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. court — of law
  15. land — to come down
  16. fall — to drop
  17. lean — to bend
  18. court — of a king
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. land — ground
  22. pound — a weight
  23. land — a country
  24. court — for 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