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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. roll — a cake
  3. spell — letters
  4. spell — magic
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. cap — a hat
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. tube — the underground
  13. spell — a short time
  14. tube — a container
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. cue — a hint
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. cap — a lid
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. cap — of ice
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. roll — a list
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. cue — a signal

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