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: club · kick · object · cabinet · temple · chip · bark · field

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. kick — in football
  3. field — a subject
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. club — for dancing
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. field — for sport
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. chip — for betting
  10. object — a thing
  11. object — an aim
  12. bark — to shout
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. object — to protest
  15. club — for golf
  16. field — farmland
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. chip — to eat
  22. club — a group
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. temple — a place of worship

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