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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. cue — a hint
  3. plane — a tool
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. cold — an illness
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. key — in music
  9. tube — a container
  10. key — the most important part
  11. tube — the underground
  12. can — a tin
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. roll — a cake
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. key — for a lock
  20. can — a tin
  21. roll — a list
  22. cue — for pool
  23. can — to be able to
  24. cold — not warm

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