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: root · lash · swing · last · tear · cue · rock · club

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. cue — for pool
  3. tear — from crying
  4. rock — a stone
  5. root — of a word
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. swing — to play on
  9. club — for dancing
  10. cue — a signal
  11. swing — in golf
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. root — the cause
  15. swing — music
  16. club — for golf
  17. rock — music
  18. tear — to rip
  19. root — of a plant
  20. last — finally
  21. last — to go on
  22. last — final
  23. club — a group
  24. cue — a hint

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