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: swing · face · hand · ruler · key · stick · kick · current

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. key — for a lock
  4. face — to confront
  5. key — in music
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. swing — in golf
  8. hand — in cards
  9. hand — help
  10. current — happening now
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. swing — music
  14. current — electric
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. key — the most important part
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. face — part of the head
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. current — of water
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. swing — to play on
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. face — to point toward

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