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: ruler · chest · game · kick · coach · spell · file · cabinet

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. game — a match
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. file — a tool
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. chest — of your body
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. chest — of your body
  13. game — wild animals
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. file — a line of people
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. spell — letters
  19. kick — in football
  20. spell — magic
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. spell — a short time
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. chest — a box

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