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: racket · safe · ruler · snap · kick · cold

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. snap — to click
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. cold — an illness
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. cold — not warm
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. safe — a strongbox

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