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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. drill — a practice
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. current — of water
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. current — electric
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — to be able to
  10. cue — for pool
  11. perch — the fish
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. drill — the tool
  14. drill — army training
  15. can — a tin
  16. mine — for digging
  17. current — happening now
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. object — a thing
  20. cue — a hint
  21. object — to protest
  22. object — an aim
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. perch — for a bird

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