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

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. race — humankind
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. spring — a coil
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ball — a dance
  8. race — the arms race
  9. cue — a hint
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. wax — to grow
  13. spring — the season
  14. bear — the animal
  15. cue — a signal
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. rock — music
  18. spring — of water
  19. ball — a great time
  20. rock — a stone
  21. bear — the animal
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. race — a contest

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