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 · season · rash · file · suit · pound · cap · bear

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. bear — the animal
  3. file — a document
  4. rash — a series
  5. file — a tool
  6. season — of the year
  7. cue — for pool
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. pound — a weight
  11. suit — clothes
  12. cap — a lid
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — to fit
  15. cap — a hat
  16. cue — a signal
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. cap — of ice
  20. rash — hasty
  21. file — a line of people
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. season — in sport

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