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 120 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: saw · wave · coach · cap · cue · band · wake · clip

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. saw — the tool
  3. clip — to cut
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. cue — a signal
  7. clip — a video
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. cap — a lid
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cue — for pool
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. cue — a hint
  15. band — a ring
  16. saw — the tool
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. cap — a hat
  20. band — a music group
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. clip — for paper
  24. wake — a trail

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