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: deal · band · cue · lean · last · wound · mouse · safe

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. cue — a signal
  4. deal — to handle
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cue — a hint
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. lean — to bend
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. lean — thin
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. wound — an injury
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. band — a ring
  22. band — a music group
  23. last — to go on
  24. last — finally

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