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: pitcher · swing · pound · chair · hand · cue · current · scale

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. hand — in cards
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. cue — a hint
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. cue — a signal
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. hand — help
  10. current — happening now
  11. chair — a leader
  12. swing — in golf
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. pound — a weight
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. current — of water
  19. cue — for pool
  20. swing — to play on
  21. swing — music
  22. scale — size or range
  23. current — electric
  24. chair — to sit on

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