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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. hand — help
  4. band — a music group
  5. cue — a signal
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. band — a ring
  9. charge — a price
  10. charge — electricity
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. bore — to tire
  13. hand — in cards
  14. snap — to click
  15. ground — a position
  16. bore — to drill
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. cue — a hint
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. ground — crushed
  22. charge — in control
  23. ground — the earth
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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