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 120 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 · ground · stick · pound · cap · kick · tube · pass

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. ground — a position
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. pass — a permit
  5. ground — crushed
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. kick — in football
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. tube — the underground
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. cap — a lid
  13. pound — a weight
  14. cap — a hat
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. cap — of ice
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. tube — a container
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. ground — the earth

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