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: snap · mate · cue · chair · wave · march · nail · swing

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cue — a signal
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. march — the month
  6. mate — to breed
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. chair — a leader
  9. swing — in golf
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. march — music
  12. mate — a partner
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. swing — to play on
  20. mate — a friend
  21. cue — a hint
  22. swing — music
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. snap — to click

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