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: last · rock · leaves · cue · rule · cabinet · track · band

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. cue — a signal
  3. rock — music
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. band — a ring
  8. rule — a law
  9. last — to go on
  10. last — final
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. last — finally
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cue — a hint
  15. band — a music group
  16. cue — for pool
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rock — a stone
  19. track — to keep track
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. track — a song
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. rule — government

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