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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. tube — a container
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. cue — for pool
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. tube — the underground
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. plane — a tool
  10. last — finally
  11. last — final
  12. chip — for betting
  13. craft — boats
  14. last — to go on
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. content — happy
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. chip — to eat
  19. cue — a hint
  20. craft — a skill
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. content — the amount
  23. kick — in football
  24. craft — a handicraft

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