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 116 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. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. field — for sport
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. kid — to tease
  6. pit — a hole
  7. chip — for betting
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. band — a ring
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. field — a subject
  14. pound — a weight
  15. field — farmland
  16. chip — to eat
  17. pit — in a race
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. band — a music group
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. kid — child
  23. deal — to handle
  24. pound — for dogs

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