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 116 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 · staff · craft · snap · file · scale · calf · bass

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. craft — boats
  4. cue — a hint
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. snap — to click
  7. staff — employees
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. craft — a skill
  10. file — a line of people
  11. staff — employees
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. file — a document
  14. staff — a stick
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. scale — size or range
  18. cue — for pool
  19. scale — in music
  20. file — a tool
  21. bass — the fish
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bass — low music
  24. craft — a handicraft

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