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: kick · file · cap · leaves · last · mate · chest · suit

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. mate — a partner
  3. last — to go on
  4. cap — a hat
  5. chest — a box
  6. file — a document
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. last — finally
  9. suit — to fit
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. mate — to breed
  12. chest — of your body
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. file — a line of people
  16. cap — of ice
  17. suit — in cards
  18. mate — a friend
  19. file — a tool
  20. kick — in football
  21. cap — a lid
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. suit — clothes
  24. last — final

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