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: leaves · mouse · tube · suit · squash · cue · wake · race

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. race — the arms race
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. suit — in cards
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. wake — a trail
  7. squash — the sport
  8. suit — to fit
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. tube — a container
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. cue — for pool
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. tube — the underground
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. squash — to crush
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. suit — clothes
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. race — humankind
  22. cue — a signal
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. cue — a hint

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