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: staff · craft · wave · cue · spring · game · pit · ruler

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. cue — a signal
  3. staff — a stick
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. craft — boats
  6. cue — for pool
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. spring — of water
  9. craft — a skill
  10. staff — employees
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. game — wild animals
  13. cue — a hint
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. staff — employees
  16. game — a match
  17. pit — a hole
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. spring — a coil
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. spring — the season

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