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: cue · arm · tube · fan · spring · root · suit · wax

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. suit — to fit
  4. root — the cause
  5. root — of a word
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. tube — a container
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. spring — the season
  10. suit — in cards
  11. spring — of water
  12. suit — clothes
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. cue — a hint
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. root — of a plant
  17. cue — for pool
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. tube — the underground
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. spring — a coil
  23. wax — to grow
  24. fan — a supporter

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