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: squash · chest · hand · bear · drill · cue · saw · craft

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. drill — the tool
  3. cue — for pool
  4. hand — in cards
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. squash — the sport
  7. hand — help
  8. craft — boats
  9. chest — of your body
  10. chest — of your body
  11. bear — the animal
  12. squash — to crush
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. bear — the animal
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. drill — army training
  17. drill — a practice
  18. craft — a skill
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. cue — a hint
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. saw — the tool
  23. chest — a box
  24. saw — the tool

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