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: wind · swing · staff · row · racket · cue · mug · pop

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. cue — for pool
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. cue — a signal
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. wind — moving air
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. wind — moving air
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. mug — a face
  11. mug — a cup
  12. row — a line
  13. staff — a stick
  14. pop — to visit
  15. mug — to rob
  16. swing — to play on
  17. cue — a hint
  18. swing — in golf
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. swing — music
  21. pop — music
  22. pop — soda
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — employees

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