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 had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. season — in sport
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cue — a hint
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. hand — in cards
  7. row — a line
  8. lean — thin
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. cue — for pool
  11. season — of the year
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. lean — to bend
  14. bark — to shout
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. firm — steady
  18. row — to paddle
  19. firm — decided
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. firm — a company
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. hand — help

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