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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. board — to get on
  4. band — a ring
  5. band — a music group
  6. ground — the earth
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. mine — for digging
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. cue — a signal
  14. ground — crushed
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. bore — to tire
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. ground — a position
  20. cue — a hint
  21. tube — the underground
  22. tube — a container
  23. board — a committee
  24. bore — to drill

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