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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. board — a committee
  3. cue — for pool
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. board — to get on
  7. net — after costs
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. net — for catching
  10. cell — a phone
  11. net — in sport
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. spring — of water
  14. cue — a signal
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. tube — a container
  17. suit — to fit
  18. spring — a coil
  19. suit — clothes
  20. cell — in biology
  21. spring — the season
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. tube — the underground
  24. suit — in cards

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