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 116 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: kick · cue · plane · squash · trunk · snap · deal · pitch

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. cue — a signal
  9. squash — to crush
  10. squash — the sport
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. snap — to click
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. cue — for pool
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. deal — to handle
  19. cue — a hint
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. plane — a tool
  23. kick — in football
  24. kick — a thrill

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