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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bound — tied together
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. cue — for pool
  6. ball — a dance
  7. prune — to trim
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ground — a position
  10. bound — certain
  11. stock — shares
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. cue — a hint
  14. stock — goods
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. plane — a tool
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. ground — the earth
  20. ground — crushed
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. bound — obliged
  23. prune — to trim
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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