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: drill · dip · cue · board · arm · wax · club · rush

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. cue — for pool
  3. board — to get on
  4. cue — a signal
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. rush — hurry
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. board — a committee
  12. club — a group
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. dip — to sink
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. wax — to grow
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. club — for dancing
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. drill — army training
  22. club — for golf
  23. drill — the tool
  24. drill — a practice

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