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: club · bay · race · sharp · temple · cell · stick · cue

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. cell — in biology
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. cue — a signal
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. club — for golf
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. cue — a hint
  13. race — humankind
  14. race — the arms race
  15. cell — a phone
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. sharp — clever
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. cue — for pool
  21. club — a group
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. club — for dancing
  24. race — a contest

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