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: pound · toast · cue · deal · roll · club · nail · court

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  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. toast — a drink to someone
  2. deal — to handle
  3. toast — bread
  4. court — of law
  5. roll — a list
  6. cue — a signal
  7. club — a group
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. court — for sport
  12. pound — a weight
  13. club — for golf
  14. court — of a king
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. roll — a cake
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. cue — for pool
  22. club — for dancing
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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