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: suit · can · cold · spell · staff · bay · fine · cue

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — a tin
  4. cue — a hint
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. suit — in cards
  8. spell — magic
  9. staff — a stick
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — employees
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. suit — to fit
  14. spell — a short time
  15. cue — for pool
  16. fine — all right
  17. cold — not warm
  18. spell — letters
  19. can — to be able to
  20. cue — a signal
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. cold — an illness
  23. suit — clothes
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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