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: field · bass · club · kick · cue · patient · lash · foot

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. field — for sport
  4. foot — a measure
  5. field — a subject
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bass — low music
  9. cue — a signal
  10. cue — for pool
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. club — a group
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. field — farmland
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. club — for dancing
  20. club — for golf
  21. cue — a hint
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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