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: cold · ruler · mine · kick · cue · pass · lash · race

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cold — an illness
  4. race — the arms race
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. cold — not warm
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. race — a contest
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. cue — a signal
  16. cue — a hint
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. kick — in football
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. mine — for digging
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. race — humankind

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