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 120 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: present · deal · cue · last · snap · lash · season · ball

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. ball — a great time
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. cue — for pool
  6. last — final
  7. present — the time now
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. last — to go on
  13. cue — a signal
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. deal — to handle
  16. ball — a dance
  17. snap — to click
  18. season — of the year
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. season — in sport
  22. last — finally
  23. cue — a hint
  24. present — a gift

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