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

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. kick — in football
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. bear — the animal
  6. net — after costs
  7. wind — moving air
  8. can — a tin
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. land — a country
  13. can — to be able to
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. land — to come down
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. land — ground
  19. bear — the animal
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. wind — moving air
  22. net — in sport
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. can — a tin

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