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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  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. pop — soda
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. lean — thin
  4. rock — music
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pop — to visit
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. cue — a hint
  11. swing — in golf
  12. pop — music
  13. cue — for pool
  14. chair — a leader
  15. rock — a stone
  16. swing — to play on
  17. swing — music
  18. clip — for paper
  19. clip — a video
  20. clip — to cut
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. lean — to bend
  23. chair — a professorship
  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