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: row · hand · wake · mate · band · saw · safe · cue

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. hand — help
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. cue — for pool
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. band — a ring
  9. mate — a partner
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. cue — a signal
  13. row — a line
  14. row — to paddle
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. hand — in cards
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. band — a music group
  19. cue — a hint
  20. mate — a friend
  21. saw — the tool
  22. mate — to breed
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. saw — the tool

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