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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. cue — a signal
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. root — of a word
  6. rush — hurry
  7. snap — to click
  8. cue — for pool
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. root — of a plant
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bat — the animal
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. cue — a hint
  23. wake — a trail
  24. bat — in an idiom

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