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 116 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: lean · chip · kick · suit · rash · cue · face · mug

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — clothes
  3. mug — a face
  4. face — to point toward
  5. chip — to eat
  6. lean — to bend
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. chip — for betting
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. suit — to fit
  12. face — part of the head
  13. kick — in football
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. rash — hasty
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. cue — for pool
  18. mug — a cup
  19. lean — thin
  20. face — to confront
  21. rash — a series
  22. mug — to rob
  23. cue — a signal
  24. cue — a hint

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