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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  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. season — in sport
  3. bass — low music
  4. last — finally
  5. present — there
  6. rule — a law
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. last — final
  9. present — the time now
  10. present — a gift
  11. pound — a weight
  12. cue — for pool
  13. season — of the year
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. rule — government
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. last — to go on
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bass — the fish
  23. pound — for dogs
  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