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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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. coach — a trainer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. spring — a coil
  7. object — to protest
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. tear — to rip
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. spring — the season
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. object — a thing
  14. tear — from crying
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. object — an aim
  20. spring — of water
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pound — a weight
  23. tear — from crying
  24. kick — a thrill

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