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 · perch · season · deal · squash · track · stick · rest

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. cue — for pool
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. perch — the fish
  8. track — a path
  9. track — to keep track
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — what's left
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. deal — to handle
  14. squash — to crush
  15. cue — a hint
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. cue — a signal
  18. rest — a break
  19. season — of the year
  20. season — in sport
  21. squash — the sport
  22. track — a song
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. deal — an agreement

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