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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. bulb — for light
  3. cue — a signal
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. cue — for pool
  6. last — to go on
  7. board — a committee
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. mate — a partner
  10. mate — a friend
  11. perch — the fish
  12. bulb — for light
  13. last — finally
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. last — final
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. cue — a hint
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. mate — to breed
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. stem — to come from
  24. board — to get on

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