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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. fall — to drop
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. cue — for pool
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. cell — in biology
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. date — the fruit
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. deal — to handle
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fall — the season
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. cue — a signal

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