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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. cue — a signal
  3. march — the month
  4. hand — help
  5. staff — a stick
  6. cue — a hint
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fine — all right
  9. cue — for pool
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. season — of the year
  12. season — in sport
  13. hand — in cards
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. staff — employees
  19. march — the month
  20. staff — employees
  21. bore — to drill
  22. kick — in football
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. march — music

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