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: pitch · pop · rest · dip · racket · cue · season · snap

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. pop — soda
  3. cue — for pool
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. rest — what's left
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. season — of the year
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. pop — music
  10. rest — a break
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. pop — to visit
  13. dip — to sink
  14. season — in sport
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. cue — a signal
  17. snap — to click
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. rest — what's left
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. pitch — completely
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. dip — to dunk

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