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 116 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: fine · bear · band · content · wake · cue · perch · suit

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. fine — all right
  5. cue — a signal
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — clothes
  8. content — happy
  9. band — a music group
  10. wake — a trail
  11. perch — the fish
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. band — a ring
  15. fine — high quality
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. suit — in cards
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. cue — for pool
  24. content — the amount

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