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: bore · straw · ground · wound · deal · rock · season · cue

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. cue — a signal
  3. ground — the earth
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. bore — to drill
  8. rock — music
  9. wound — an injury
  10. ground — crushed
  11. cue — for pool
  12. season — in sport
  13. deal — to handle
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. season — of the year
  17. ground — a position
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. rock — a stone
  20. bore — to tire
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. cue — a hint
  24. straw — a straw man

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