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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. current — electric
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. current — of water
  5. pound — a weight
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. current — happening now
  10. chair — a leader
  11. stock — shares
  12. march — the month
  13. wake — a trail
  14. mark — a grade
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. stock — goods
  18. mark — a trace
  19. march — music
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. march — the month

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