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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. rock — music
  4. spring — the season
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. shower — to wash
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. saw — the tool
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. spring — a coil
  12. file — a tool
  13. spring — of water
  14. cue — a hint
  15. shower — rain
  16. deal — to handle
  17. rock — a stone
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. cue — a signal
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. file — a line of people
  22. file — a document
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. saw — the tool

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