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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. charge — in control
  3. spring — the season
  4. bark — to shout
  5. charge — electricity
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. charge — a price
  8. spring — of water
  9. cue — for pool
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cue — a signal
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. band — a music group
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. band — a ring
  22. spring — a coil
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. sharp — clever

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