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 120 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: deal · stick · mine · kick · bass · lash · net · fan

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. bass — the fish
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. net — after costs
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. net — in sport
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. net — for catching
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. kick — in football
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. mine — for digging
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. bass — low music
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. deal — to handle

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