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: chest · firm · coach · lash · pit · march · dip · current

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. dip — to sink
  3. march — music
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. pit — in a race
  6. current — happening now
  7. current — of water
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. chest — a box
  10. firm — steady
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. pit — a hole
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. chest — of your body
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. march — the month
  21. current — electric
  22. firm — decided
  23. chest — of your body
  24. march — the month

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