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 120 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: hand · chip · perch · bark · stick · season · stand · cue

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. chip — for betting
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. stand — to bear
  8. cue — a signal
  9. hand — in cards
  10. chip — to eat
  11. hand — help
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. bark — to shout
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. cue — a hint
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. season — in sport
  20. cue — for pool
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. perch — the fish

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