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 was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. cue — a hint
  3. mug — a face
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. rule — government
  6. rule — a law
  7. pop — soda
  8. object — to protest
  9. pop — to visit
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. object — a thing
  12. mug — a cup
  13. pop — music
  14. game — wild animals
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. mug — to rob
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. object — an aim
  20. game — a match
  21. ball — a dance
  22. cue — for pool
  23. cue — a signal
  24. lash — to lash out

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