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 · roll · net · can · file · trunk · key · rush

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. net — after costs
  3. can — to be able to
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. file — a document
  7. key — in music
  8. can — a tin
  9. file — a line of people
  10. rush — hurry
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. net — for catching
  13. roll — a cake
  14. kick — in football
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. file — a tool
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. key — the most important part
  20. net — in sport
  21. key — for a lock
  22. can — a tin
  23. roll — a list
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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