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: lash · tear · net · current · swing · mark · ruler · spring

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. tear — to rip
  4. swing — to play on
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. current — happening now
  7. spring — a coil
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. current — electric
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. mark — a trace
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. spring — of water
  15. swing — in golf
  16. net — after costs
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. tear — from crying
  19. current — of water
  20. swing — music
  21. spring — the season
  22. net — in sport
  23. tear — from crying
  24. mark — a grade

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