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 · spring · chip · squash · club · jam · object · hide

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. object — an aim
  3. object — a thing
  4. club — a group
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. club — for dancing
  7. club — for golf
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. chip — for betting
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. kick — in football
  16. spring — the season
  17. chip — to eat
  18. squash — to crush
  19. spring — of water
  20. object — to protest
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. squash — the sport
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. spring — a coil

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