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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. tear — from crying
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. content — the amount
  6. cue — a signal
  7. cue — a hint
  8. suit — to fit
  9. tear — to rip
  10. tube — a container
  11. file — a line of people
  12. suit — clothes
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. file — a tool
  15. row — a line
  16. suit — in cards
  17. row — to paddle
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. content — happy
  20. tube — the underground
  21. file — a document
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. branch — a division
  24. tear — from crying

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