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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. squash — to crush
  5. cue — a hint
  6. plane — a tool
  7. degree — an amount
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. degree — from a university
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. wake — a trail
  14. stock — shares
  15. stock — goods
  16. squash — the sport
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. cue — for pool
  20. degree — temperature
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. dip — to sink
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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