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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. rash — hasty
  3. staff — employees
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. rash — a series
  7. game — wild animals
  8. land — ground
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. cue — a signal
  11. stand — to bear
  12. object — to protest
  13. kick — in football
  14. staff — employees
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. cue — for pool
  17. land — to come down
  18. object — a thing
  19. game — a match
  20. land — a country
  21. cue — a hint
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. object — an aim

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