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 · tube · mine · cue · staff · bound · trunk · swing

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. tube — a container
  4. swing — music
  5. staff — employees
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. bound — certain
  8. board — to get on
  9. bound — tied together
  10. cue — a hint
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. staff — employees
  15. swing — to play on
  16. mine — for digging
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. bound — obliged
  20. cue — a signal
  21. tube — the underground
  22. board — a committee
  23. cue — for pool
  24. swing — in golf

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