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: kick · bulb · sharp · rock · mouse · cue · field · season

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. bulb — for light
  4. season — in sport
  5. sharp — clever
  6. field — a subject
  7. rock — music
  8. cue — for pool
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. cue — a hint
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. season — of the year
  17. cue — a signal
  18. field — for sport
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. bulb — for light
  21. kick — in football
  22. field — farmland
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. kick — with a leg

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