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: board · bowl · cabinet · branch · mate · snap · cue · wake

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cue — a signal
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. mate — a friend
  7. mate — to breed
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. branch — a division
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. snap — to click
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. board — a committee
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. board — to get on
  20. mate — a partner
  21. wake — a trail
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. cue — a hint

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