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: cabinet · spring · rule · pound · game · kick · dip · pit

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. pound — a weight
  5. pit — a hole
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. spring — the season
  9. spring — of water
  10. dip — to sink
  11. spring — a coil
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. kick — in football
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. rule — a law
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. game — a match
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. game — wild animals
  24. rule — government

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