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: foot · lash · pound · rock · sharp · plane · current · fork

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. plane — a tool
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. rock — a stone
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. pound — a weight
  14. fork — in a road
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. current — electric
  18. current — of water
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. sharp — clever
  22. current — happening now
  23. foot — a measure
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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