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: club · kick · ruler · cap · mate · cold · bowl · bass

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. cap — of ice
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. mate — a partner
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. club — for dancing
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. club — a group
  11. mate — to breed
  12. cap — a lid
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. cold — not warm
  15. club — for golf
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. cold — an illness
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. bass — the fish
  20. mate — a friend
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. cap — a hat
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bass — low music

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