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 · bank · lean · chip · net · present · sharp · roll

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. roll — a cake
  4. cue — for pool
  5. net — in sport
  6. bank — of a river
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. net — after costs
  9. roll — a list
  10. present — there
  11. bank — for money
  12. chip — to eat
  13. lean — thin
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. net — for catching
  16. bank — for money
  17. chip — for betting
  18. present — a gift
  19. cue — a hint
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. sharp — clever
  22. present — the time now
  23. lean — to bend
  24. chip — in a computer

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