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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. drill — a practice
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. pit — in a race
  6. cold — an illness
  7. drill — the tool
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. cue — a hint
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. cold — not warm
  15. current — of water
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. current — happening now
  18. cue — a signal
  19. drill — army training
  20. stand — to bear
  21. current — electric
  22. pit — a hole
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. pound — a weight

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