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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. pop — soda
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. wake — a trail
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. chair — a leader
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. cue — for pool
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. cue — a signal
  16. pop — music
  17. band — a music group
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. band — a ring
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. cue — a hint
  24. pop — to visit

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