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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. can — to be able to
  3. kid — to tease
  4. kid — child
  5. can — a tin
  6. staff — employees
  7. season — of the year
  8. rule — government
  9. staff — employees
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. staff — a stick
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. season — in sport
  15. net — after costs
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. can — a tin
  19. net — for catching
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rule — a law
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. kick — in football

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