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 124 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 was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. cue — for pool
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. plane — a tool
  5. hand — in cards
  6. tube — the underground
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bark — to shout
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. deal — to handle
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. tube — a container
  18. cue — a hint
  19. hand — help
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. mine — for digging
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. cue — a signal

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