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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. track — a path
  4. cue — a signal
  5. suit — in cards
  6. can — to be able to
  7. mine — for digging
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cue — a hint
  10. staff — a stick
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — clothes
  13. prune — to trim
  14. hand — help
  15. track — to keep track
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. staff — employees
  18. hand — in cards
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — a tin
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. staff — employees
  24. prune — to trim

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