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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. rock — music
  3. chip — for betting
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. drill — army training
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. cap — a lid
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. stem — to come from
  10. drill — a practice
  11. chip — to eat
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. cue — for pool
  14. cap — of ice
  15. cue — a hint
  16. cap — a hat
  17. drill — the tool
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. cue — a signal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rock — to move gently

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