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: chest · hand · kick · bass · ruler · chip · date · spring

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. chest — a box
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. bass — the fish
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. date — the fruit
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. chip — to eat
  12. chest — of your body
  13. chip — for betting
  14. spring — of water
  15. bass — low music
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. spring — the season
  20. chest — of your body
  21. spring — a coil
  22. hand — in cards
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. hand — help

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