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 116 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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. suit — in cards
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. suit — to fit
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. cold — an illness
  7. cold — not warm
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. cue — a signal
  10. suit — clothes
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. chip — to eat
  13. kick — in football
  14. squash — the sport
  15. cue — a hint
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. cue — for pool
  20. squash — to crush
  21. chip — for betting
  22. wake — a trail
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. racket — for tennis

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