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: stand · game · stick · row · current · firm · bass · lash

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. current — happening now
  3. row — a line
  4. bass — the fish
  5. firm — decided
  6. stand — to bear
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. game — wild animals
  11. bass — low music
  12. game — a match
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. row — to paddle
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. current — of water
  20. firm — steady
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. current — electric
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. row — a quarrel

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