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: last · kick · chip · bore · game · date · jam · bowl

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. last — final
  4. bore — to drill
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. chip — to eat
  7. bore — to tire
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. chip — for betting
  10. last — to go on
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. date — the fruit
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. last — finally
  18. kick — in football
  19. game — a match
  20. game — wild animals
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. bowl — a dish

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