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: mine · wave · ruler · wind · march · cue · arm · cell

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  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. wave — of the sea
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. cue — for pool
  4. cue — a signal
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. cell — a phone
  8. march — the month
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. march — the month
  13. wind — moving air
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. cell — in biology
  17. wind — moving air
  18. march — music
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. mine — for digging
  23. ruler — for measuring
  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