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 124 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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. kick — in football
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. wound — an injury
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. board — a committee
  9. wound — an injury
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. land — ground
  13. land — to come down
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. lean — thin
  16. board — to get on
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. land — a country
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. ball — a great time
  23. lean — to bend
  24. ball — a dance

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