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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. craft — a skill
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. pop — soda
  8. cue — a signal
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. stand — to bear
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. cue — for pool
  14. pit — in a race
  15. pound — a weight
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. craft — boats
  20. pop — to visit
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. pop — music
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. pound — to hit hard

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