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: content · cap · cell · cue · firm · kick · bound · chest

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. kick — in football
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. chest — of your body
  5. chest — a box
  6. firm — steady
  7. firm — a company
  8. cell — a phone
  9. bound — tied together
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cap — of ice
  12. bound — certain
  13. cue — a signal
  14. content — the amount
  15. cap — a hat
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. cap — a lid
  18. firm — decided
  19. bound — obliged
  20. content — happy
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. cue — for pool
  23. chest — of your body
  24. cell — in biology

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