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 120 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: spell · current · chair · pit · board · cue · snap · mine

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. mine — for digging
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. snap — to click
  7. cue — for pool
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. board — a committee
  10. current — electric
  11. cue — a signal
  12. pit — a hole
  13. pit — in a race
  14. spell — letters
  15. chair — a leader
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. current — of water
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. spell — magic
  22. board — to get on
  23. cue — a hint
  24. current — happening now

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