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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. drill — army training
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. drill — a practice
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. object — an aim
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. object — to protest
  16. current — electric
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. current — of water
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. stem — to come from
  21. drill — the tool
  22. object — a thing
  23. pound — a weight
  24. calf — a young animal

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