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 116 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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. cue — a hint
  3. swing — in golf
  4. last — to go on
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. cue — a signal
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. net — after costs
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. pop — to visit
  12. last — final
  13. last — finally
  14. net — for catching
  15. swing — to play on
  16. cue — for pool
  17. pound — a weight
  18. net — in sport
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. squash — the sport
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. swing — music
  23. squash — to crush
  24. pop — soda

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