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: perch · rock · mug · cue · current · sharp · rule · chair

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. cue — a signal
  3. current — happening now
  4. sharp — clever
  5. chair — a leader
  6. rule — government
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. rock — a stone
  9. cue — for pool
  10. mug — a face
  11. cue — a hint
  12. perch — the fish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. mug — a cup
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. rule — a law
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. current — of water
  19. mug — to rob
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rock — music
  22. current — electric
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. sharp — with an edge

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