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: bank · saw · current · lash · pound · firm · racket · fall

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. firm — steady
  4. saw — the tool
  5. firm — decided
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. bank — for money
  8. firm — a company
  9. fall — to drop
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. fall — the season
  12. current — happening now
  13. bank — for money
  14. pound — a weight
  15. bank — of a river
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. fall — to drop
  19. current — electric
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. current — of water
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. lash — an eyelash

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