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 · object · content · mouse · calf · bear · mate · land

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bear — the animal
  3. content — the amount
  4. object — to protest
  5. mate — a partner
  6. mate — to breed
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. cue — a hint
  9. cue — a signal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. mate — a friend
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. object — a thing
  14. bear — the animal
  15. land — a country
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. cue — for pool
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. land — ground
  22. object — an aim
  23. land — to come down
  24. content — happy

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