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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: kick · staff · cabinet · stick · deal · pitch

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. kick — in football
  4. staff — employees
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. staff — a stick
  11. pitch — completely
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. staff — employees
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. cabinet — a cupboard

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