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 120 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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. current — happening now
  3. field — for sport
  4. field — farmland
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. shower — rain
  8. current — electric
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. field — a subject
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. pitch — completely
  13. rock — a stone
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. shower — to wash
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. current — of water
  21. rock — music
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. lash — an eyelash

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