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 · present · swing · cue · row · mug · kick · branch

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. row — a line
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. branch — a division
  5. mug — a cup
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. present — the time now
  8. present — a gift
  9. kick — in football
  10. swing — in golf
  11. row — to paddle
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. mug — to rob
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. cue — a signal
  19. present — there
  20. cue — a hint
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. cue — for pool
  23. swing — music
  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