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 116 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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. cue — a signal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. content — the amount
  5. bulb — for light
  6. march — the month
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. cap — a lid
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. fork — in a road
  13. cap — a hat
  14. bulb — for light
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. cue — for pool
  19. march — the month
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. content — happy
  22. cap — of ice
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. cue — a hint

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