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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. wax — to grow
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. ground — crushed
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. cue — for pool
  9. saw — the tool
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. cue — a hint
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. board — to get on
  14. can — to be able to
  15. ground — the earth
  16. board — a committee
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — a tin
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. saw — the tool
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. ground — a position
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. racket — for tennis

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