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: patient · content · staff · bound · cue · saw · mark · ball

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. cue — for pool
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. content — the amount
  5. bound — obliged
  6. staff — employees
  7. saw — the tool
  8. ball — a dance
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. cue — a signal
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bound — tied together
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. cue — a hint
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bound — certain
  19. ball — a great time
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. staff — a stick
  22. mark — a trace
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. content — happy

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