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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. cue — for pool
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. bank — for money
  5. degree — from a university
  6. degree — temperature
  7. date — the fruit
  8. chip — for betting
  9. object — a thing
  10. bank — for money
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. cue — a signal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. chip — to eat
  17. rush — hurry
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. degree — an amount
  20. bank — of a river
  21. object — to protest
  22. object — an aim
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. mouse — the animal

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