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

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. content — the amount
  3. cue — for pool
  4. mug — a cup
  5. chair — a leader
  6. cue — a signal
  7. cue — a hint
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. spell — letters
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. spell — magic
  14. mug — a face
  15. saw — the tool
  16. content — happy
  17. saw — the tool
  18. spell — a short time

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