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: chair · cue · field · can · bank · season · bay · pitch

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. pitch — completely
  3. bank — for money
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cue — a hint
  6. can — a tin
  7. chair — a leader
  8. season — of the year
  9. season — in sport
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bank — for money
  12. field — for sport
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. can — to be able to
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. can — a tin
  18. field — a subject
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. field — farmland

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