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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  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. cabinet — ministers
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. root — of a word
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. root — of a plant
  10. bass — low music
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. drill — a practice
  14. drill — the tool
  15. wake — a trail
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. craft — a skill
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. drill — army training
  21. craft — boats
  22. bass — the fish
  23. root — the cause
  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