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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. cue — a hint
  3. suit — in cards
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. spell — a short time
  6. cue — for pool
  7. sharp — clever
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. spell — letters
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. spell — magic
  12. suit — clothes
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. suit — to fit
  15. wound — an injury
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. cue — a signal
  18. wound — an injury

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