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: coach · court · cell · cue · sharp · kick · cabinet · chip

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. cue — a hint
  4. court — of a king
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. chip — to eat
  10. cell — in biology
  11. court — for sport
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. kick — in football
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. sharp — clever
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. court — of law
  19. chip — for betting
  20. cell — a phone
  21. cue — for pool
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. cue — a signal
  24. cabinet — ministers

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