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: deal · cue · kick · coach · pitcher · bulb · lash · face

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. cue — a signal
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. cue — a hint
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. face — to confront
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. deal — to handle
  10. face — to point toward
  11. bulb — for light
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. face — part of the head
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. cue — for pool
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. kick — in football
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. lash — an eyelash

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