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: club · rock · spell · face · nail · fine · cue · cabinet

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. club — a group
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. cue — a signal
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. face — to point toward
  9. cue — a hint
  10. fine — all right
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. rock — a stone
  13. spell — a short time
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. fine — high quality
  16. club — for dancing
  17. spell — letters
  18. face — to confront
  19. club — for golf
  20. spell — magic
  21. rock — music
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. face — part of the head

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