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 116 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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  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. cue — for pool
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. cue — a hint
  4. spring — a coil
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. current — happening now
  7. current — electric
  8. mark — a grade
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. file — a tool
  12. mark — a trace
  13. file — a line of people
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. dip — to sink
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. current — of water
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. spring — of water
  22. file — a document
  23. spring — the season
  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