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: wave · cue · chest · stick · row · bulb · file · net

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. file — a document
  3. chest — of your body
  4. row — to paddle
  5. net — after costs
  6. file — a tool
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bulb — for light
  9. chest — a box
  10. cue — a hint
  11. net — in sport
  12. file — a line of people
  13. net — for catching
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. cue — a signal
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. row — a line
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. bulb — for light
  23. cue — for pool
  24. chest — of your body

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