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: ground · suit · snap · tube · cue · perch · bass · stick

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. suit — in cards
  4. snap — to click
  5. ground — crushed
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. cue — for pool
  9. perch — the fish
  10. suit — to fit
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. bass — low music
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. ground — the earth
  19. suit — clothes
  20. tube — the underground
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. cue — a signal
  23. ground — a position
  24. cue — a hint

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