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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. club — a group
  5. cue — for pool
  6. saw — the tool
  7. club — for golf
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. rest — what's left
  11. cue — a signal
  12. rest — what's left
  13. chair — a leader
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. cue — a hint
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. pound — a weight
  21. bore — to drill
  22. club — for dancing
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. rest — a break

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