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 · bear · current · mine · pitcher · cue · hand · bark

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. cue — for pool
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. hand — in cards
  6. cue — a signal
  7. hand — help
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. current — happening now
  10. current — of water
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bark — to shout
  13. cue — a hint
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. suit — to fit
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. current — electric
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. mine — for digging
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — the animal
  24. pitcher — a jug

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