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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. staff — employees
  4. pound — a weight
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. staff — a stick
  7. rule — government
  8. staff — employees
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. stock — shares
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. game — a match
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. rule — a law
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. kick — in football
  20. craft — a skill
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. game — wild animals
  23. stock — goods
  24. craft — boats

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