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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. stock — goods
  5. cue — for pool
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. mark — a trace
  8. stock — shares
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. charge — electricity
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mark — a grade
  15. cue — a signal
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. bat — the animal
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. wake — a trail
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. charge — a price
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. charge — in control
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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