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: rush · kick · safe · game · leaves · pop · rock · mark

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. pop — to visit
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. pop — soda
  8. rock — music
  9. mark — a trace
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rock — a stone
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. mark — a grade
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. game — wild animals
  21. pop — music
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. game — a match

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