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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. chair — a leader
  3. net — for catching
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. pop — to visit
  6. firm — decided
  7. cue — a signal
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. cue — a hint
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. pop — soda
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. firm — steady
  14. net — in sport
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. net — after costs
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. firm — a company
  19. saw — the tool
  20. cue — for pool
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. saw — the tool
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. safe — out of danger

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