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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. squash — to crush
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. present — the time now
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. present — there
  10. bat — the animal
  11. key — in music
  12. present — a gift
  13. hand — in cards
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. hand — help
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. cue — a hint
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. cue — for pool
  22. key — the most important part
  23. squash — the sport
  24. key — for a lock

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