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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. cue — for pool
  3. kid — child
  4. mug — a cup
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. cue — a hint
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. mug — to rob
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. land — to come down
  11. tube — the underground
  12. club — for golf
  13. mug — a face
  14. kid — to tease
  15. cue — a signal
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. land — a country
  20. land — ground
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. club — a group
  23. tube — a container
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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