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: cue · wave · saw · file · object · deal · row · face

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. cue — a hint
  3. object — an aim
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. face — to confront
  7. cue — a signal
  8. row — to paddle
  9. object — a thing
  10. row — a line
  11. file — a tool
  12. face — part of the head
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. saw — the tool
  17. object — to protest
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. deal — to handle
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. face — to point toward
  22. cue — for pool
  23. file — a document
  24. saw — the tool

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