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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. net — after costs
  3. charge — electricity
  4. board — a committee
  5. charge — in control
  6. net — in sport
  7. drill — a practice
  8. drill — army training
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. board — to get on
  11. can — a tin
  12. kick — in football
  13. kid — child
  14. can — to be able to
  15. drill — the tool
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. net — for catching
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. charge — a price
  21. can — a tin
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. kid — to tease
  24. board — a flat piece

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