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: pass · march · chip · cue · kick · mug · lash · coach

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. cue — a hint
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. kick — in football
  6. chip — to eat
  7. march — music
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. cue — a signal
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. mug — to rob
  15. mug — a cup
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. march — the month
  20. chip — for betting
  21. cue — for pool
  22. pass — a permit
  23. march — the month
  24. mug — a face

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