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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. kick — in football
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. fall — the season
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — a break
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. object — a thing
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. fall — to drop
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. rest — what's left
  20. fall — to drop
  21. object — to protest
  22. object — an aim
  23. hand — help
  24. nail — for a hammer

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