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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. cue — a signal
  3. mine — for digging
  4. present — a gift
  5. swing — in golf
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. foot — a measure
  8. swing — music
  9. cue — for pool
  10. present — there
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. scale — size or range
  14. present — the time now
  15. scale — in music
  16. swing — to play on
  17. cue — a hint
  18. foot — 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