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: stick · leaves · kick · nail · toast · shower · pop · chair

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. shower — rain
  11. shower — to wash
  12. pop — to visit
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. kick — in football
  15. pop — soda
  16. toast — bread
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. pop — music
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. chair — a leader
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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