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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. kick — in football
  3. file — a tool
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. band — a ring
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. chip — to eat
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. file — a line of people
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. chip — for betting
  14. file — a document
  15. bore — to drill
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. band — a music group

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