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: cabinet · temple · cue · mate · rash · stick · prune · roll

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. mate — to breed
  4. rash — hasty
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. roll — a list
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. rash — a series
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. prune — to trim
  14. cue — a hint
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. mate — a friend
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. mate — a partner
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. cue — for pool
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. roll — a cake

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