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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  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. nail — on a finger
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. cue — for pool
  4. rock — music
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. branch — a division
  7. dip — to sink
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. cue — a signal
  10. bound — certain
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bound — tied together
  17. rock — a stone
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bound — obliged
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. bear — the animal
  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