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 116 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: ball · cue · degree · lean · coach · board · mouse · stem

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. cue — for pool
  4. ball — a great time
  5. cue — a signal
  6. degree — temperature
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. stem — to come from
  9. degree — from a university
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. degree — an amount
  14. board — to get on
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. lean — thin
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. board — a committee
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. lean — to bend

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