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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. rest — a break
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cue — a signal
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. court — for sport
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. can — a tin
  10. court — of law
  11. can — a tin
  12. rest — what's left
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. court — of a king
  16. sharp — clever
  17. can — to be able to
  18. rest — what's left

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