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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. track — to keep track
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. rule — government
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. track — a song
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. charge — electricity
  10. rule — a law
  11. net — after costs
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. net — for catching
  14. dip — to sink
  15. net — in sport
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. charge — in control
  21. track — a path
  22. charge — a price
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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