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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: season · mark · staff · suit · cue · chest · ground · pop

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. cue — for pool
  3. ground — the earth
  4. suit — to fit
  5. pop — to visit
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. chest — of your body
  8. suit — in cards
  9. cue — a signal
  10. suit — clothes
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. mark — a trace
  13. chest — of your body
  14. staff — employees
  15. season — in sport
  16. mark — a grade
  17. pop — music
  18. ground — crushed
  19. cue — a hint
  20. season — of the year
  21. chest — a box
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — a stick
  24. ground — a position

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