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 · staff · coach · cue · tube · bulb · bat · squash

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. cue — a signal
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. bulb — for light
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. squash — the sport
  8. staff — employees
  9. cue — a hint
  10. board — to get on
  11. bulb — for light
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. cue — for pool
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. squash — to crush
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. board — a committee
  19. staff — employees
  20. bat — the animal
  21. tube — the underground
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. staff — a stick

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