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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mouse · lash · kick · bat · cue · chair

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. cue — for pool
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. bat — the animal
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. chair — a leader
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. cue — a hint
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. cue — a signal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. kick — in football
  18. chair — a professorship

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