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 · arm · rest · game · chair · season · kid · cabinet

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. game — wild animals
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. kick — in football
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. game — a match
  12. rest — what's left
  13. season — of the year
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. season — in sport
  18. kid — child
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — a break
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. kid — to tease
  24. chair — a leader

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