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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. pop — soda
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. pop — to visit
  6. present — there
  7. cue — a signal
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. object — an aim
  10. wind — moving air
  11. cue — a hint
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. object — to protest
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. deal — to handle
  16. wind — moving air
  17. present — the time now
  18. present — a gift
  19. cue — for pool
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. pop — music
  24. object — a thing

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