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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. fine — all right
  4. tube — the underground
  5. bank — of a river
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. key — the most important part
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. cue — for pool
  11. tube — a container
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. cue — a hint
  14. key — in music
  15. cue — a signal
  16. bank — for money
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. bank — for money
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. prune — to trim
  21. squash — to crush
  22. key — for a lock
  23. squash — the sport
  24. hide — to keep secret

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