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

Word bank: stick · ruler · swing · branch · lash · kick

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. branch — a division
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. kick — in football
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. swing — in golf
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. swing — to play on
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. swing — music
  18. ruler — for measuring

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