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: cue · chip · stick · pop · toast · branch · stock · safe

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. pop — soda
  3. pop — to visit
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. stock — shares
  13. stock — goods
  14. toast — bread
  15. cue — a hint
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. pop — music
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. chip — to eat
  20. chip — for betting
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. cue — for pool
  24. branch — a division

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