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: bound · kick · court · lean · bay · temple · nail · chip

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. kick — in football
  3. chip — to eat
  4. court — for sport
  5. lean — to bend
  6. lean — thin
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. court — of law
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. court — of a king
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. chip — for betting
  17. bound — certain
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bound — obliged
  21. bound — tied together
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. nail — for a hammer

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