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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. present — there
  3. bound — obliged
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. cue — a signal
  7. pop — to visit
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. bound — certain
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. cue — for pool
  13. field — a subject
  14. field — for sport
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pop — music
  17. pop — soda
  18. plane — a tool
  19. present — the time now
  20. field — farmland
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. present — a gift
  23. bound — tied together
  24. plane — an aircraft

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