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: cap · snap · kick · content · firm · cabinet · hide · stand

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. kick — in football
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. cap — of ice
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. stand — to bear
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. snap — to click
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. firm — steady
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cap — a hat
  16. firm — decided
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. firm — a company
  20. cap — a lid
  21. content — the amount
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. content — happy
  24. hide — animal skin

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