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: key · wave · temple · hand · cue · tear · firm · branch

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  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. cue — for pool
  2. tear — to rip
  3. key — in music
  4. branch — a division
  5. cue — a hint
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. key — the most important part
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. firm — a company
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. firm — decided
  13. cue — a signal
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. hand — help
  16. hand — in cards
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. tear — from crying
  19. tear — from crying
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. key — for a lock
  22. firm — steady
  23. hand — part of the body
  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