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: season · cabinet · bay · wound · chip · rush · cue · spring

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  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. bay — to keep at bay
  2. rush — hurry
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. wound — an injury
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. spring — a coil
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. spring — the season
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. season — in sport
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. wound — an injury
  18. cue — a signal
  19. chip — to eat
  20. chip — for betting
  21. season — of the year
  22. spring — of water
  23. cue — for pool
  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