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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. kick — in football
  4. rush — hurry
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. game — a match
  7. bank — for money
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. bank — for money
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. bank — of a river
  13. swing — in golf
  14. game — wild animals
  15. fork — in a road
  16. swing — music
  17. fine — high quality
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. fine — all right
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. chair — a leader
  24. swing — to play on

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