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: shower · calf · cue · mark · track · bay · lean · present

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. present — the time now
  3. shower — to wash
  4. mark — a trace
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. track — a path
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. present — there
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. cue — for pool
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. mark — a grade
  15. cue — a hint
  16. track — a song
  17. present — a gift
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. shower — rain
  21. lean — thin
  22. cue — a signal
  23. track — to keep track
  24. calf — a young animal

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