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: mate · cue · toast · file · stand · snap · content · wave

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. file — a tool
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. cue — a hint
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. file — a line of people
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. cue — for pool
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. mate — to breed
  12. file — a document
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. mate — a friend
  15. snap — to click
  16. content — happy
  17. mate — a partner
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. content — the amount
  20. cue — a signal
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. toast — bread

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