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 · cue · trunk · racket · pitch · temple · kid · mouse

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. cue — a signal
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. kid — to tease
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. cue — for pool
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pitch — completely
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pass — a permit
  17. kid — child
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — a loud noise

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