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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. tear — to rip
  3. cue — a signal
  4. fall — to drop
  5. rock — music
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. cue — a hint
  9. root — of a plant
  10. rock — a stone
  11. rash — hasty
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. root — the cause
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. root — of a word
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. tear — from crying
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. tear — from crying
  20. fall — to drop
  21. cue — for pool
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. rash — a series
  24. sharp — clever

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