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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. fine — all right
  3. fall — to drop
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. rush — hurry
  6. pop — music
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. fine — high quality
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. fall — the season
  11. fall — to drop
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. cue — for pool
  15. pop — to visit
  16. cue — a signal
  17. cue — a hint
  18. kick — in football
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. pop — soda

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