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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. swing — in golf
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. pitch — completely
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cue — for pool
  10. net — in sport
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. swing — to play on
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. swing — music
  15. net — for catching
  16. stem — to come from
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. capital — money
  20. net — after costs
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. capital — a city
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. cue — a hint

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