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: cabinet · straw · content · rock · squash · cue · pop · board

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. content — happy
  3. pop — soda
  4. squash — the sport
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. board — a committee
  13. pop — to visit
  14. rock — music
  15. cue — a signal
  16. pop — music
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. content — the amount
  20. rock — a stone
  21. board — to get on
  22. squash — to crush
  23. cue — for pool
  24. cabinet — ministers

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