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: straw · cue · rule · clip · cabinet · toast · vault · rush

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. rule — government
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. cue — a signal
  7. vault — a safe
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. clip — for paper
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rule — a law
  16. clip — to cut
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. toast — bread
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. cue — for pool
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. clip — a video
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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