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 120 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: land · deal · net · cue · suit · spell · board · bank

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. cue — a signal
  3. suit — in cards
  4. cue — a hint
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. land — ground
  7. spell — a short time
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. suit — to fit
  10. land — to come down
  11. spell — magic
  12. board — to get on
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — of a river
  15. deal — to handle
  16. net — in sport
  17. land — a country
  18. suit — clothes
  19. board — a committee
  20. bank — for money
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. spell — letters
  23. cue — for pool
  24. net — after costs

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