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 120 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: hand · kick · stick · hide · mine · bass · cue · charge

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. bass — the fish
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. cue — for pool
  5. bass — low music
  6. cue — a hint
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. charge — in control
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. charge — electricity
  12. kick — in football
  13. charge — a price
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. hand — in cards
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. hand — help
  22. mine — for digging
  23. cue — a signal
  24. hand — part of the body

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