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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. cue — a hint
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. rash — hasty
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. can — to be able to
  7. cue — a signal
  8. rash — a series
  9. chair — a leader
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. can — a tin
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. sharp — clever
  14. vault — a safe
  15. cue — for pool
  16. can — a tin
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. vault — an arched ceiling

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