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: arm · board · swing · tear · rash · spell · mate · current

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. tear — from crying
  3. current — electric
  4. current — of water
  5. spell — letters
  6. tear — from crying
  7. mate — a friend
  8. board — a committee
  9. spell — a short time
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. mate — a partner
  13. current — happening now
  14. swing — in golf
  15. spell — magic
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. rash — hasty
  18. mate — to breed
  19. swing — music
  20. board — to get on
  21. swing — to play on
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. tear — to rip

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