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: net · board · rock · wake · cue · tube · arm · degree

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. net — after costs
  4. degree — an amount
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. net — in sport
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. degree — from a university
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. board — a committee
  11. rock — a stone
  12. tube — the underground
  13. cue — a signal
  14. wake — a trail
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. board — to get on
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. rock — music
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. net — for catching
  22. tube — a container
  23. cue — a hint
  24. degree — temperature

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