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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — to fit
  6. cue — a signal
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. kid — child
  9. cue — for pool
  10. roll — a list
  11. snap — to click
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. current — of water
  16. rush — hurry
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. kid — to tease
  22. current — happening now
  23. roll — a cake
  24. current — electric

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