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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. club — for dancing
  3. bound — tied together
  4. kid — child
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. cue — for pool
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. chair — a leader
  9. club — for golf
  10. bound — obliged
  11. firm — a company
  12. cue — a signal
  13. firm — steady
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. cue — a hint
  16. kid — to tease
  17. capital — a city
  18. bound — certain
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. club — a group
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. capital — money
  23. firm — decided
  24. chair — a professorship

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