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'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  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. cue — a hint
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. pit — in a race
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. game — wild animals
  6. dip — to sink
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. cue — for pool
  9. foot — a measure
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. pound — a weight
  18. sharp — clever
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. rush — hurry
  21. game — a match
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. pit — a hole
  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