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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. cue — for pool
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. present — a gift
  5. staff — a stick
  6. cue — a hint
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. staff — employees
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. pitch — completely
  14. capital — a city
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. present — the time now
  17. snap — to click
  18. capital — money
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. staff — employees
  21. present — there
  22. cue — a signal
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. pitch — a sports field

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