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: kick · rock · cue · dip · race · suit · chair · cap

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. chair — a leader
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. race — a contest
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — to fit
  11. cap — a hat
  12. race — humankind
  13. race — the arms race
  14. rock — a stone
  15. cue — a hint
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. cue — for pool
  19. suit — clothes
  20. cue — a signal
  21. kick — in football
  22. cap — of ice
  23. dip — to sink
  24. cap — a lid

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