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 · swing · lean · fine · kick · sharp · board · cue

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. sharp — clever
  4. cue — a signal
  5. lean — to bend
  6. fine — high quality
  7. cue — a hint
  8. swing — in golf
  9. pop — music
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. board — to get on
  12. fine — all right
  13. lean — thin
  14. board — a committee
  15. pop — to visit
  16. cue — for pool
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. kick — in football
  19. pop — soda
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. swing — music
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. swing — to play on

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