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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. cap — a lid
  3. prune — to trim
  4. staff — a stick
  5. cue — for pool
  6. band — a ring
  7. net — after costs
  8. staff — employees
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. chair — a leader
  11. band — a music group
  12. staff — employees
  13. pound — a weight
  14. net — in sport
  15. cap — a hat
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. net — for catching
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. cue — a hint
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. cue — a signal
  24. prune — to trim

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