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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mine · current · rest · lash · craft · kick

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. current — of water
  3. kick — in football
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. rest — what's left
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — a skill
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. craft — boats
  13. current — happening now
  14. mine — for digging
  15. rest — what's left
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. current — electric

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