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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. club — for golf
  3. kick — in football
  4. net — for catching
  5. track — a song
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. club — for dancing
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. track — a path
  11. snap — to click
  12. squash — to crush
  13. club — a group
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. ball — a dance
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. net — in sport
  21. track — to keep track
  22. ball — a great time
  23. squash — the sport
  24. net — after costs

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