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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. stand — to bear
  3. race — a contest
  4. last — final
  5. last — finally
  6. fork — in a road
  7. lie — to recline
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. last — to go on
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. race — humankind
  16. cue — a hint
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. stem — to come from
  19. race — the arms race
  20. press — newspapers
  21. cue — for pool
  22. press — a publisher
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. press — to push

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