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

Word bank: cabinet · row · wave · track · rule · stock · cue · wax

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. track — to keep track
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. row — a line
  8. stock — shares
  9. stock — goods
  10. cue — a hint
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. track — a song
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. track — a path
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. cue — for pool
  17. cue — a signal
  18. row — to paddle
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. rule — government
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. rule — a law
  24. wave — with your hand

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