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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. drill — a practice
  3. cell — a phone
  4. bound — certain
  5. cue — a signal
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. drill — army training
  8. bound — tied together
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. cue — for pool
  11. cell — in biology
  12. pop — soda
  13. pop — music
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. bound — obliged
  16. net — for catching
  17. deal — to handle
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. pop — to visit
  20. net — after costs
  21. cue — a hint
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. drill — the tool
  24. net — in sport

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