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: cue · mouse · lash · ground · arm · wave · kick · bat

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. ground — crushed
  6. cue — for pool
  7. ground — a position
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. ground — the earth
  10. bat — the animal
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. cue — a signal
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. cue — a hint
  24. kick — in football

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