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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. staff — a stick
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. chip — for betting
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. charge — electricity
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. staff — employees
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. charge — in control
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. charge — a price
  15. plane — a tool
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. staff — employees
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. chip — to eat
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. pass — a permit
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. kick — in football

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