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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. cue — a hint
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. bat — the animal
  5. cue — for pool
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. content — the amount
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. drill — the tool
  12. club — for golf
  13. wind — moving air
  14. drill — army training
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. club — a group
  17. cue — a signal
  18. drill — a practice
  19. club — for dancing
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. chair — a leader
  23. wind — moving air
  24. content — happy

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