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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. ball — a great time
  3. hand — help
  4. chest — a box
  5. staff — a stick
  6. track — to keep track
  7. club — for dancing
  8. hand — in cards
  9. chest — of your body
  10. track — a song
  11. chest — of your body
  12. cue — a signal
  13. cue — a hint
  14. club — a group
  15. staff — employees
  16. track — a path
  17. club — for golf
  18. staff — employees
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. cue — for pool
  24. ball — a dance

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