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 116 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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. cue — a signal
  4. charge — electricity
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. track — a path
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. cue — a hint
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. cap — a lid
  11. bat — the animal
  12. cap — a hat
  13. track — a song
  14. charge — in control
  15. cue — for pool
  16. wound — an injury
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. wound — an injury
  21. cap — of ice
  22. rest — what's left
  23. track — to keep track
  24. charge — a price

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