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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  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. suit — in cards
  2. cue — a signal
  3. cue — a hint
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. bank — for money
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bank — of a river
  10. press — a publisher
  11. kid — child
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bank — for money
  14. bat — the animal
  15. suit — clothes
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. cue — for pool
  18. rule — a law
  19. press — newspapers
  20. press — to push
  21. rule — government
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. suit — to fit
  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