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: staff · date · content · cue · present · bear · march · chip

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. chip — to eat
  3. cue — for pool
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. march — music
  8. staff — employees
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. bear — the animal
  11. chip — for betting
  12. date — the fruit
  13. staff — a stick
  14. present — there
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. cue — a signal
  17. staff — employees
  18. present — the time now
  19. present — a gift
  20. march — the month
  21. content — happy
  22. march — the month
  23. content — the amount
  24. cue — a hint

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