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: band · cue · coach · snap · plane · wave · toast · squash

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. squash — to crush
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. cue — for pool
  6. band — a music group
  7. band — a ring
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. snap — to click
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. cue — a hint
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. plane — a tool
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. squash — the sport
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. cue — a signal
  24. toast — bread

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