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: coach · nail · tube · deal · mine · cap · cue · kick

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. tube — the underground
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. kick — in football
  7. cap — a lid
  8. cue — for pool
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. cap — of ice
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. tube — a container
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. deal — to handle
  22. mine — for digging
  23. cap — a hat
  24. cue — a signal

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