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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. pitch — completely
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. cue — for pool
  6. cue — a signal
  7. pop — soda
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. kid — child
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. rush — hurry
  16. pop — music
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. mine — for digging
  19. cue — a hint
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. kid — to tease

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