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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. fall — the season
  4. cue — a signal
  5. cue — for pool
  6. mug — a cup
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. face — part of the head
  10. track — to keep track
  11. face — to point toward
  12. fall — to drop
  13. ball — a great time
  14. face — to confront
  15. cue — a hint
  16. ground — the earth
  17. mug — to rob
  18. track — a song
  19. fall — to drop
  20. ground — crushed
  21. track — a path
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. mug — a face
  24. ground — a position

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