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 · cabinet · mouse · bass · kid · rush · can · perch

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. rush — hurry
  3. can — a tin
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. cue — a signal
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bass — low music
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. cue — for pool
  11. can — to be able to
  12. kid — child
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. kid — to tease
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. can — a tin
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. perch — the fish
  24. mouse — for a computer

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