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: bark · current · bound · deal · lash · land · clip · board

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. current — electric
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. board — a committee
  7. current — of water
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. clip — to cut
  10. bound — tied together
  11. land — to come down
  12. current — happening now
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. clip — for paper
  15. clip — a video
  16. bark — to shout
  17. deal — to handle
  18. land — a country
  19. land — ground
  20. board — to get on
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. bound — certain
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. bound — obliged

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