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 120 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 museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cue — a hint
  4. march — the month
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. mug — a cup
  9. fine — high quality
  10. rock — music
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. wax — to grow
  13. cue — a signal
  14. march — music
  15. mug — to rob
  16. rash — a series
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. march — the month
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. mug — a face
  21. deal — to handle
  22. fine — all right
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. rash — hasty

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