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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. cue — for pool
  4. stock — goods
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. cell — a phone
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. saw — the tool
  9. cell — in biology
  10. stock — shares
  11. cue — a hint
  12. staff — employees
  13. stand — to bear
  14. cue — a signal
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. band — a ring
  17. staff — a stick
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. band — a music group
  20. staff — employees
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. saw — the 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