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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. cue — a hint
  3. content — the amount
  4. press — a publisher
  5. row — to paddle
  6. cue — for pool
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. current — of water
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. current — happening now
  11. face — to confront
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. mine — for digging
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. current — electric
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. row — a line
  19. press — newspapers
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. face — to point toward
  22. face — part of the head
  23. content — happy
  24. press — to push

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