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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. present — there
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. land — a country
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wind — moving air
  7. craft — boats
  8. cue — a signal
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. pop — to visit
  12. roll — a cake
  13. land — to come down
  14. pop — music
  15. cue — a hint
  16. craft — a skill
  17. present — the time now
  18. pop — soda
  19. land — ground
  20. roll — a list
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. present — a gift
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. dip — to sink

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