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 120 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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. tube — a container
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. cap — of ice
  8. cue — a hint
  9. cap — a lid
  10. cue — for pool
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. hand — help
  13. cap — a hat
  14. wind — moving air
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. tube — the underground
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. wind — moving air
  22. hand — in cards
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. leaves — lets stay

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