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: band · object · wound · cue · net · prune · suit · chair

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. chair — a leader
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. net — after costs
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. object — an aim
  8. cue — a signal
  9. net — for catching
  10. suit — to fit
  11. object — to protest
  12. net — in sport
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. wound — an injury
  15. suit — clothes
  16. band — a music group
  17. band — a ring
  18. prune — to trim
  19. suit — in cards
  20. cue — a hint
  21. prune — to trim
  22. wound — an injury
  23. object — a thing
  24. chair — to sit on

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