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: can · cue · key · squash · arm · wax · mark · tube

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. cue — a hint
  4. squash — the sport
  5. cue — for pool
  6. key — for a lock
  7. key — in music
  8. wax — to grow
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. tube — a container
  11. mark — a trace
  12. squash — to crush
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. can — a tin
  16. tube — the underground
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. can — to be able to
  19. cue — a signal
  20. mark — a grade
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. can — a tin
  24. wax — for sculpting

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