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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cue — for pool
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. cue — a signal
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. fork — in a road
  10. spell — magic
  11. rest — what's left
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. spell — a short time
  18. rest — what's left
  19. cue — a hint
  20. shower — rain
  21. wax — to grow
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. rest — a break
  24. spell — letters

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