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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. suit — clothes
  5. game — wild animals
  6. present — the time now
  7. wind — moving air
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. suit — in cards
  10. kid — to tease
  11. pop — music
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. present — a gift
  14. kid — child
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. kick — in football
  17. wind — moving air
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. suit — to fit
  20. present — there
  21. pop — soda
  22. game — a match
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. pop — to visit

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