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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. cue — for pool
  4. kick — in football
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. cue — a signal
  8. sharp — clever
  9. cue — a hint
  10. bulb — for light
  11. scale — in music
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. press — a publisher
  14. rash — hasty
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bulb — for light
  17. scale — size or range
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. press — newspapers
  21. press — to push
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. rash — a series

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