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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. tube — the underground
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. cue — for pool
  7. file — a document
  8. cue — a hint
  9. file — a line of people
  10. face — to confront
  11. tube — a container
  12. face — to point toward
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. spring — a coil
  16. face — part of the head
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. spring — the season
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. spring — of water
  24. file — a tool

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