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: race · cue · bay · wake · hide · press · pop · cell

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. pop — soda
  3. press — newspapers
  4. cue — a signal
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. race — a contest
  9. cell — a phone
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. wake — a trail
  13. press — a publisher
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. pop — music
  16. cue — for pool
  17. cue — a hint
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. cell — in biology
  21. press — to push
  22. race — the arms race
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. race — humankind

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