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 120 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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. ball — a great time
  3. pop — to visit
  4. ball — a dance
  5. deal — to handle
  6. bear — the animal
  7. clip — a video
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. pop — music
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. cue — a hint
  14. pop — soda
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. foot — a measure
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bear — the animal
  20. clip — to cut
  21. cue — for pool
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. clip — for paper
  24. foot — the bottom

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