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 116 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: kick · season · current · ruler · bat · straw · net · lie

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. current — of water
  5. current — happening now
  6. net — for catching
  7. current — electric
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. lie — to recline
  12. season — of the year
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. season — in sport
  16. net — after costs
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. bat — the animal
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. kick — in football
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. net — in sport

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