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: cue · pop · roll · spell · firm · sharp · patient · straw

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. roll — a list
  3. pop — music
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. cue — a hint
  9. roll — a cake
  10. cue — for pool
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. firm — steady
  13. spell — magic
  14. spell — letters
  15. pop — to visit
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. sharp — clever
  19. spell — a short time
  20. pop — soda
  21. firm — decided
  22. cue — a signal
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. roll — on a roll

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