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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. staff — employees
  3. cue — for pool
  4. cue — a hint
  5. clip — a video
  6. suit — in cards
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. clip — to cut
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. staff — a stick
  11. staff — employees
  12. bear — the animal
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. mine — for digging
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. cue — a signal
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. clip — for paper
  21. suit — clothes
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. suit — to fit
  24. bear — the animal

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