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: suit · rock · perch · cap · stick · straw · pound · cue

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. cue — for pool
  4. suit — to fit
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. cap — of ice
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. suit — clothes
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. cue — a hint
  16. pound — a weight
  17. rock — music
  18. rock — a stone
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. cap — a lid
  21. suit — in cards
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. cap — a hat
  24. perch — the fish

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