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: dip · kick · pound · face · tube · mug · current · coach

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. current — happening now
  4. mug — a face
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. current — of water
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pound — a weight
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. face — to point toward
  14. tube — the underground
  15. mug — to rob
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. kick — in football
  18. current — electric
  19. mug — a cup
  20. face — part of the head
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. face — to confront
  24. tube — a container

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