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 · saw · ground · can · ruler · chip · kid · lash

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. ground — a position
  4. kid — to tease
  5. ground — the earth
  6. can — a tin
  7. kick — in football
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ground — crushed
  15. can — a tin
  16. saw — the tool
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. chip — for betting
  19. kid — child
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. chip — to eat
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. saw — the tool
  24. can — to be able to

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