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: pop · kick · pitch · lean · ball · current · rash · stand

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  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. lean — thin
  3. lean — to bend
  4. pitch — completely
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. pop — soda
  8. kick — in football
  9. pop — music
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. ball — a great time
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. rash — hasty
  14. ball — a dance
  15. rash — a series
  16. current — electric
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. current — of water
  20. stand — to bear
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. pop — to visit
  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