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: field · snap · fine · current · arm · kick · fan · rock

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. snap — to click
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. fine — high quality
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. rock — a stone
  10. kick — in football
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. field — farmland
  13. fine — all right
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. current — of water
  18. rock — music
  19. current — electric
  20. field — a subject
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. field — for sport
  24. current — happening now

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