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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. pop — music
  3. pitch — completely
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. cue — for pool
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. bat — the animal
  9. cold — not warm
  10. craft — a skill
  11. craft — boats
  12. cold — an illness
  13. cue — a signal
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. pop — to visit
  16. mug — a cup
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. cue — a hint
  19. mug — a face
  20. mug — to rob
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. object — a thing
  23. object — an aim
  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