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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. cue — a signal
  3. charge — in control
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. snap — to click
  7. spring — a coil
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. spring — the season
  10. spring — of water
  11. cue — a hint
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. charge — electricity
  16. charge — a price
  17. board — a committee
  18. cue — for pool
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. perch — the fish
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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