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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. cue — for pool
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. charge — electricity
  6. cue — a hint
  7. wind — moving air
  8. charge — a price
  9. scale — size or range
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. scale — in music
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. charge — in control
  18. bat — the animal
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. plane — a tool
  21. wind — moving air
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. rush — hurry
  24. patient — a sick person

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