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 · scale · pit · can · pound · firm · field · pop

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. pop — soda
  3. pop — to visit
  4. field — farmland
  5. firm — decided
  6. can — to be able to
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. field — a subject
  11. pit — a hole
  12. cue — a hint
  13. scale — in music
  14. pit — in a race
  15. pound — a weight
  16. firm — a company
  17. can — a tin
  18. firm — steady
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. field — for sport
  21. can — a tin
  22. pop — music
  23. cue — a signal
  24. scale — size or range

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