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: cue · stock · prune · tube · band · bark · kick · mark

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. cue — for pool
  3. kick — in football
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. stock — shares
  8. band — a music group
  9. prune — to trim
  10. cue — a hint
  11. stock — goods
  12. tube — the underground
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. mark — a trace
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. tube — a container
  18. bark — to shout
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. band — a ring
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. mark — a grade

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