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 116 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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. fall — to drop
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. scale — size or range
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. lean — to bend
  11. rush — hurry
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. lean — thin
  14. bark — to shout
  15. cue — a hint
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. fall — the season
  19. cue — a signal
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. scale — in music
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. fall — to drop

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