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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cue — a signal
  3. land — ground
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. cue — a hint
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. current — happening now
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. land — a country
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. current — of water
  18. current — electric
  19. branch — a division
  20. land — to come down
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. wake — a trail

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