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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. fall — to drop
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stand — to bear
  7. field — farmland
  8. cue — a hint
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bore — to tire
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. cue — for pool
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. fall — to drop
  19. bore — to drill
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. fall — the season
  22. field — for sport
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. field — a subject

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