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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. pitch — completely
  3. cue — a hint
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. cue — a signal
  7. object — a thing
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. tube — a container
  10. court — for sport
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. object — an aim
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. roll — a list
  18. cue — for pool
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. roll — a cake
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. tube — the underground
  23. court — of a king
  24. court — of law

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