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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. cue — a signal
  3. shower — to wash
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. bear — the animal
  10. shower — rain
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. cue — for pool
  14. prune — to trim
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. prune — to trim
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. deal — to handle
  21. cue — a hint
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. plane — a tool

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