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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. plane — a tool
  3. cue — a signal
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. rock — a stone
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. cue — for pool
  8. court — of law
  9. chest — of your body
  10. current — happening now
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. current — of water
  13. rock — music
  14. foot — a measure
  15. current — electric
  16. chest — of your body
  17. cue — a hint
  18. chest — a box
  19. court — for sport
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. court — of a king

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