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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. cue — for pool
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. cue — a signal
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. ball — a dance
  12. deal — to handle
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. cue — a hint
  16. chair — a leader
  17. ball — a great time
  18. object — an aim
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. object — to protest
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. object — a thing
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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