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: roll · bark · deal · row · current · pop · bass · kick

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. roll — a list
  6. kick — in football
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. current — of water
  9. bass — low music
  10. current — electric
  11. bark — to shout
  12. pop — music
  13. deal — to handle
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. pop — soda
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. roll — a cake
  18. row — to paddle
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. pop — to visit
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bass — the fish
  24. row — a line

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