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: bulb · wound · charge · racket · lash · trunk · snap · cue

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. cue — for pool
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. snap — to click
  6. bulb — for light
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bulb — for light
  11. cue — a hint
  12. wound — an injury
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. charge — a price
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. charge — electricity
  20. charge — in control
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. wound — an injury
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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