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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. tube — the underground
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. cue — a signal
  6. chip — for betting
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. snap — to click
  10. kick — in football
  11. cue — for pool
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bound — obliged
  15. root — of a plant
  16. prune — to trim
  17. root — the cause
  18. tube — a container
  19. chip — to eat
  20. bound — certain
  21. bound — tied together
  22. cue — a hint
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. root — of a word

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