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 · rest · pit · rule · toast · date · safe · game

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. date — the fruit
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. rule — a law
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. rule — government
  9. rest — a break
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. game — wild animals
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — what's left
  17. toast — bread
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. pit — in a race
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. pit — a hole
  22. game — a match
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. game — a kind of play

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