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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. cue — for pool
  5. pop — soda
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. pop — music
  11. file — a document
  12. file — a tool
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. branch — a division
  16. pop — to visit
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. file — a line of people
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. cue — a signal
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. sharp — clever
  24. coach — a trainer

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