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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. cue — for pool
  4. cue — a signal
  5. charge — in control
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. vault — a safe
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. charge — electricity
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. degree — from a university
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. file — a document
  18. cue — a hint
  19. degree — an amount
  20. perch — the fish
  21. file — a line of people
  22. degree — temperature
  23. charge — a price
  24. calf — a young animal

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