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: pop · bound · can · roll · patient · press · cue · arm

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. press — to push
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. can — to be able to
  5. press — a publisher
  6. pop — to visit
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. roll — a cake
  9. cue — a hint
  10. can — a tin
  11. press — newspapers
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. can — a tin
  15. cue — a signal
  16. roll — a list
  17. bound — certain
  18. pop — soda
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bound — obliged
  21. pop — music
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. patient — a sick person

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