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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. cue — for pool
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bound — certain
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. current — happening now
  8. band — a music group
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. band — a ring
  11. bound — obliged
  12. game — a match
  13. cue — a hint
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. current — of water
  16. pass — a permit
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. cue — a signal
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. game — wild animals
  21. current — electric
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. bound — tied together
  24. pitcher — a jug

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