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: mouse · cue · perch · jam · rash · saw · file · bound

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. rash — a series
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. bound — certain
  5. cue — a hint
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. rash — hasty
  8. saw — the tool
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. file — a tool
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. bound — tied together
  15. bound — obliged
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. file — a line of people
  20. saw — the tool
  21. file — a document
  22. perch — the fish
  23. cue — a signal
  24. jam — a tight spot

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