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 120 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: cue · staff · arm · bay · file · mug · ball · wake

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. cue — a signal
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. staff — employees
  7. cue — for pool
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mug — a face
  10. cue — a hint
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. file — a document
  13. ball — a dance
  14. file — a line of people
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. staff — employees
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. ball — a great time
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. staff — a stick
  22. file — a tool
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. mug — a cup

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