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 · cue · fine · pop · pound · pit · toast · tube

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. tube — a container
  3. toast — bread
  4. cue — for pool
  5. pound — a weight
  6. fine — all right
  7. pit — in a race
  8. tube — the underground
  9. fine — high quality
  10. pop — music
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. pit — a hole
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. cue — a hint
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. cue — a signal
  18. pop — to visit
  19. hand — help
  20. pop — soda
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. hand — in cards
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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