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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. tube — the underground
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. pop — to visit
  6. key — the most important part
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. pop — soda
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. land — ground
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. key — for a lock
  16. land — to come down
  17. board — a committee
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. board — to get on
  20. pop — music
  21. land — a country
  22. tube — a container
  23. key — in music
  24. tube — in a tire

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