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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. fine — high quality
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. root — of a plant
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. net — after costs
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. ball — a great time
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. net — for catching
  16. root — of a word
  17. root — the cause
  18. fine — all right
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. date — the fruit
  21. ball — a dance
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wind — moving air
  24. net — in sport

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