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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. saw — the tool
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. roll — a cake
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. saw — the tool
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — to trim
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. roll — a list
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. cue — a hint
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. cue — for pool
  22. snap — to click
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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