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 120 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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stand — to bear
  4. cue — a signal
  5. cue — a hint
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. wake — a trail
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. clip — a video
  11. press — a publisher
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. clip — to cut
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. clip — for paper
  16. press — newspapers
  17. press — to push
  18. wake — before a funeral

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