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: current · bat · kick · mug · season · lash · rock · chip

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. current — happening now
  3. bat — the animal
  4. mug — a cup
  5. kick — in football
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. current — electric
  8. mug — a face
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. season — in sport
  14. chip — for betting
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. season — of the year
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. mug — to rob
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. rock — a stone
  21. chip — to eat
  22. current — of water
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. rock — music

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