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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. rule — government
  3. board — to get on
  4. bound — tied together
  5. rule — a law
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. board — a committee
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. cue — for pool
  10. tear — to rip
  11. bound — obliged
  12. tear — from crying
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. bound — certain
  16. tear — from crying
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. cue — a hint

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