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 120 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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. shower — rain
  3. chest — of your body
  4. prune — to trim
  5. fall — the season
  6. fall — to drop
  7. cue — a signal
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. fall — to drop
  10. chest — of your body
  11. shower — to wash
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. drill — the tool
  14. chest — a box
  15. prune — to trim
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. fine — high quality
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. drill — army training
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — all right
  22. drill — a practice
  23. kick — in football
  24. cue — a hint

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