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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. current — happening now
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. pound — a weight
  8. cap — a hat
  9. face — to confront
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. current — of water
  12. current — electric
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. cap — of ice
  15. season — of the year
  16. face — to point toward
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. mine — for digging
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. season — in sport
  23. cap — a lid
  24. pound — to hit hard

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