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 116 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: degree · kick · bark · stand · hide · swing · ruler · current

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. current — happening now
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bark — to shout
  7. degree — from a university
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. kick — in football
  10. swing — music
  11. stand — to bear
  12. current — of water
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. swing — to play on
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. swing — in golf
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. current — electric
  21. degree — temperature
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. degree — an amount

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