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 120 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: cue · fine · stick · racket · bank · chip · mug · chest

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. chip — for betting
  3. fine — all right
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bank — for money
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. chest — of your body
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cue — a hint
  10. chest — a box
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. mug — to rob
  13. mug — a cup
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — of a river
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. fine — high quality
  18. cue — a signal
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. chest — of your body
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. chip — to eat
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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