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: racket · cue · rock · perch · swing · calf · key · pit

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. cue — a signal
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. key — in music
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pit — in a race
  9. key — for a lock
  10. cue — for pool
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. perch — the fish
  14. swing — music
  15. pit — a hole
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rock — music
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. key — the most important part
  22. swing — in golf
  23. cue — a hint
  24. rock — a stone

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