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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. shower — to wash
  3. net — for catching
  4. rest — what's left
  5. snap — to click
  6. net — after costs
  7. pitch — completely
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. rest — what's left
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. rest — a break
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. kick — in football
  15. dip — to sink
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. shower — rain
  21. net — in sport
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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