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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cue — for pool
  4. file — a line of people
  5. cue — a signal
  6. fall — to drop
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. spell — a short time
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. file — a tool
  11. kick — in football
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. cue — a hint
  14. file — a document
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. fall — the season
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. fall — to drop
  22. spell — magic
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rock — music

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