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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. season — in sport
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. season — of the year
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bore — to drill
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bore — to tire
  17. dip — to sink
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. mouse — for a computer

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