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 116 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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. cue — for pool
  4. stand — to bear
  5. net — in sport
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. cue — a hint
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. spring — a coil
  11. spring — the season
  12. net — after costs
  13. tube — a container
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. game — a match
  16. hand — help
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. hand — in cards
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. cue — a signal
  21. tube — the underground
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. game — wild animals
  24. net — for catching

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