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 120 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: chip · kick · rest · bowl · last · ruler · rush · calf

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. kick — in football
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. rest — what's left
  6. chip — to eat
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. rest — a break
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. last — to go on
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. chip — for betting
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. last — final
  21. last — finally
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. chip — in a computer

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