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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. band — a music group
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. cue — a hint
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. swing — in golf
  8. wound — an injury
  9. cue — for pool
  10. swing — music
  11. charge — electricity
  12. charge — a price
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. swing — to play on
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. band — a ring
  19. wound — an injury
  20. roll — a list
  21. charge — in control
  22. roll — a cake
  23. date — the fruit
  24. cue — a signal

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