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: cue · swing · calf · roll · kick · march · capital · hide

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. roll — a list
  3. cue — for pool
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. cue — a hint
  8. swing — music
  9. swing — to play on
  10. cue — a signal
  11. march — music
  12. roll — a cake
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. swing — in golf
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. march — the month
  17. capital — money
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. march — the month
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. capital — a city
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. calf — a young animal

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