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 · perch · drill · kid · date · chip · can · rule

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. drill — the tool
  3. date — the fruit
  4. chip — for betting
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. can — a tin
  7. kid — child
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. kid — to tease
  10. drill — a practice
  11. kick — in football
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. can — to be able to
  14. chip — to eat
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. rule — a law
  21. can — a tin
  22. perch — the fish
  23. drill — army training
  24. rule — government

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