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 get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. deal — to handle
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. bulb — for light
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. land — ground
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. land — to come down
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. land — a country
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bulb — for light
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ball — a dance
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. dip — to sink

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