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: pop · present · hide · club · kick · cue

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. cue — a signal
  3. pop — to visit
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. present — there
  8. club — a group
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. club — for dancing
  11. kick — in football
  12. present — a gift
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. pop — music
  15. cue — a hint
  16. cue — for pool
  17. club — for golf
  18. present — the time now

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