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: hand · swing · cue · suit · bound · file · plane · spell

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. swing — music
  3. cue — a hint
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bound — certain
  6. plane — a tool
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. spell — letters
  9. suit — to fit
  10. file — a document
  11. hand — in cards
  12. suit — in cards
  13. hand — help
  14. cue — a signal
  15. suit — clothes
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. spell — a short time
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. cue — for pool
  20. swing — to play on
  21. file — a tool
  22. spell — magic
  23. bound — obliged
  24. swing — in golf

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