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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. court — for sport
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. court — of a king
  7. prune — to trim
  8. court — of law
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. charge — a price
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. cue — for pool
  13. charge — electricity
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. bat — the animal
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. plane — a tool
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. cue — a signal
  21. sharp — clever
  22. charge — in control
  23. prune — to trim
  24. plane — an aircraft

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