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: wound · cue · dip · tube · band · wave · craft · stand

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. band — a music group
  3. cue — a signal
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. cue — for pool
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. wound — an injury
  8. craft — a skill
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. craft — boats
  13. band — a ring
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. stand — to bear
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. tube — the underground
  20. cue — a hint
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wound — an injury
  24. tube — a container

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