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 120 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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. kid — to tease
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. cue — a hint
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. face — to confront
  10. stem — to come from
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. face — part of the head
  13. cue — a signal
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. kid — child
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. face — to point toward

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