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: stick · rule · cue · hand · pound · spell · foot · can

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. can — a tin
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. cue — a signal
  5. rule — a law
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. rule — government
  8. can — a tin
  9. hand — help
  10. cue — a hint
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. spell — magic
  13. can — to be able to
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. pound — a weight
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. spell — letters
  18. hand — in cards
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. cue — for pool
  21. foot — a measure
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. spell — a short time
  24. foot — the bottom

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