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: jam · ball · craft · kick · mate · ruler · cold · lie

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. mate — a friend
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. mate — to breed
  5. cold — an illness
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. craft — a skill
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ball — a great time
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. craft — boats
  16. mate — a partner
  17. lie — to recline
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. cold — not warm
  20. ball — a dance
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. kick — in football

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