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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cue · rule · arm · deal · wave · capital

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rule — a law
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. cue — for pool
  6. rule — government
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. cue — a signal
  9. capital — a city
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. deal — to handle
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. capital — money

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