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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. foot — a measure
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. board — a committee
  6. rush — hurry
  7. cue — a hint
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. tube — the underground
  10. race — humankind
  11. race — the arms race
  12. tube — a container
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. rest — what's left
  16. board — to get on
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rest — a break
  19. cue — for pool
  20. kick — in football
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. cue — a signal
  23. rest — what's left
  24. race — a contest

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