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 · wave · race · capital · file · bowl

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. file — a document
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. race — the arms race
  5. cue — a signal
  6. cue — a hint
  7. cue — for pool
  8. race — humankind
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. file — a tool
  12. capital — a city
  13. capital — money
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. file — a line of people
  16. race — a contest
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bowl — a dish

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