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: date · row · ruler · cue · suit · dip · bulb · staff

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. suit — in cards
  3. dip — to sink
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. staff — employees
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bulb — for light
  9. cue — a signal
  10. date — the fruit
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. staff — employees
  14. suit — clothes
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. cue — for pool
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. row — to paddle
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. staff — a stick
  22. bulb — for light
  23. row — a line
  24. cue — a hint

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