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: firm · branch · cue · cabinet · object · wave · cold · saw

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. firm — a company
  4. cold — not warm
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. firm — steady
  10. cue — for pool
  11. branch — a division
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. object — a thing
  15. object — to protest
  16. object — an aim
  17. cold — an illness
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — the tool
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. firm — decided
  22. cue — a hint
  23. cue — a signal
  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