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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. cue — a hint
  3. cue — a signal
  4. firm — decided
  5. pit — a hole
  6. rush — hurry
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — of a river
  9. cue — for pool
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. clip — for paper
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. kid — to tease
  14. wax — to grow
  15. bank — for money
  16. clip — to cut
  17. clip — a video
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. firm — a company
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. firm — steady
  22. kid — child
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. wax — in the ear

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