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: deal · kick · leaves · cabinet · fork · scale · rest · pop

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. kick — in football
  3. pop — soda
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pop — music
  7. scale — in music
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. rest — what's left
  10. scale — size or range
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. rest — a break
  15. fork — in a road
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. deal — to handle
  18. rest — what's left
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. pop — to visit

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