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: cabinet · kick · jam · game · chip · wake · roll · key

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. chip — for betting
  5. game — a match
  6. game — wild animals
  7. key — for a lock
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. kick — in football
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. key — in music
  14. key — the most important part
  15. roll — a cake
  16. wake — a trail
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. chip — to eat
  24. roll — a list

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