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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. foot — a measure
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. mine — for digging
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. mark — a grade
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. mark — a trace
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bore — to tire
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pit — in a race
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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