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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. court — of a king
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. court — for sport
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. clip — for paper
  12. squash — the sport
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. clip — a video
  15. squash — to crush
  16. pitch — completely
  17. cue — for pool
  18. court — of law
  19. cue — a signal
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. clip — to cut
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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