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: mug · land · pass · cue · wave · bore · stem · kid

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. stem — to come from
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. land — a country
  5. cue — for pool
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. mug — to rob
  11. land — ground
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. kid — to tease
  14. kid — child
  15. land — to come down
  16. cue — a signal
  17. cue — a hint
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. mug — a face
  21. pass — a permit
  22. bore — to drill
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. bore — to tire

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