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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: row · date · cold · cue · calf · safe · nail · dip

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. cue — a signal
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. cue — a hint
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. row — to paddle
  14. date — the fruit
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. row — a line
  19. dip — to sink
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. cold — not warm
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. cold — an illness

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