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: game · stand · kick · cue · rest · lash · pit · club

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. club — for dancing
  3. cue — a hint
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. club — for golf
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. rest — what's left
  12. game — a match
  13. pit — in a race
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pit — a hole
  18. game — wild animals
  19. kick — in football
  20. cue — for pool
  21. cue — a signal
  22. stand — to bear
  23. club — a group
  24. rest — a break

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