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: club · pass · tear · staff · cue · hand · face · stand

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. cue — for pool
  3. hand — in cards
  4. cue — a signal
  5. pass — a permit
  6. staff — a stick
  7. hand — help
  8. tear — from crying
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. face — to point toward
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. tear — from crying
  13. tear — to rip
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. face — to confront
  16. staff — employees
  17. stand — to bear
  18. cue — a hint
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. club — for golf
  21. face — part of the head
  22. club — a group
  23. staff — employees
  24. club — for dancing

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