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: race · calf · file · prune · chest · saw · nail · cue

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. race — the arms race
  3. cue — a signal
  4. chest — of your body
  5. chest — a box
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. file — a tool
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. saw — the tool
  11. prune — to trim
  12. file — a document
  13. race — humankind
  14. cue — for pool
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. prune — to trim
  17. chest — of your body
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. file — a line of people
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. cue — a hint
  22. race — a contest
  23. saw — the tool
  24. nail — for a hammer

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