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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. firm — decided
  3. bank — for money
  4. firm — a company
  5. file — a tool
  6. firm — steady
  7. cue — a hint
  8. bank — for money
  9. cue — a signal
  10. wake — a trail
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. file — a document
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. cue — for pool
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. file — a line of people
  18. bank — of a river

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