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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. cue — a signal
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. swing — music
  6. swing — in golf
  7. court — for sport
  8. cap — a lid
  9. swing — to play on
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. firm — steady
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. firm — a company
  14. cap — a hat
  15. cue — a hint
  16. rule — government
  17. cap — of ice
  18. firm — decided
  19. hand — in cards
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. hand — help
  22. rule — a law
  23. court — of law
  24. court — of a king

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