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 · cold · lash · current · bass · mark · pitch · row

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. row — to paddle
  3. current — electric
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. pitch — completely
  6. mark — a trace
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. cold — not warm
  9. mark — a grade
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. current — of water
  15. swing — in golf
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. current — happening now
  18. cold — an illness
  19. row — a line
  20. swing — music
  21. swing — to play on
  22. bass — low music
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. lash — an eyelash

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