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: toast · hide · cold · rush · bank · cue · fine · scale

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. scale — size or range
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. cue — a hint
  6. cold — not warm
  7. cold — an illness
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. bank — for money
  11. fine — all right
  12. toast — bread
  13. scale — in music
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. cue — for pool
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. fine — high quality
  20. bank — for money
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bank — of a river

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