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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. board — to get on
  3. pop — to visit
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. board — a committee
  6. cap — a lid
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. fall — to drop
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. kick — in football
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. cue — a hint
  13. pop — soda
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. cue — for pool
  17. bear — the animal
  18. fall — to drop
  19. cap — of ice
  20. pop — music
  21. fall — the season
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. bear — the animal
  24. cap — a hat

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