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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. cell — in biology
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. cue — a signal
  6. cue — for pool
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. ball — a great time
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. pitch — completely
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. cell — a phone
  15. club — for golf
  16. club — a group
  17. race — the arms race
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. club — for dancing
  20. race — humankind
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. race — a contest
  23. mine — for digging
  24. ball — a dance

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