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 116 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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. last — finally
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. fall — the season
  5. face — part of the head
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. cue — for pool
  8. last — to go on
  9. face — to confront
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. kick — in football
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. fall — to drop
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. face — to point toward
  18. cue — a hint
  19. last — final
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. branch — a division
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. fall — to drop
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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