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 120 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. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. bound — certain
  3. cue — for pool
  4. degree — temperature
  5. hand — in cards
  6. swing — music
  7. rock — music
  8. bound — tied together
  9. degree — an amount
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. hand — help
  12. rest — a break
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rock — a stone
  15. degree — from a university
  16. swing — to play on
  17. cue — a signal
  18. rest — what's left
  19. mate — to breed
  20. bound — obliged
  21. swing — in golf
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mate — a partner
  24. hand — part of the body

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