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: fine · wave · scale · rest · row · current · racket · kick

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. current — of water
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. current — electric
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. kick — in football
  11. scale — in music
  12. fine — high quality
  13. scale — size or range
  14. rest — what's left
  15. row — to paddle
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. rest — what's left
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. fine — all right
  22. rest — a break
  23. current — happening now
  24. row — a quarrel

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