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: staff · sharp · rock · can · cue · stick · snap · last

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  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. sharp — exactly
  2. last — to go on
  3. staff — a stick
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. cue — a hint
  8. can — a tin
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. can — a tin
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. cue — a signal
  13. snap — to click
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. last — final
  16. staff — employees
  17. rock — music
  18. cue — for pool
  19. can — to be able to
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. last — finally
  22. sharp — clever
  23. rock — a stone
  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